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Executive Summary
Pages 1-8

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From page 1...
... When these oil spills occur in the United States, the primary response methods consist of the deployment of mechanical o n - w a t e r containment and recovery systems, such as booms and skimmers. Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90)
From page 2...
... Coast Guard in 2002 proposed changes to the oil spill contingency planning regulations measuring the minimum capabilities for dispersant application in all pre-approved zones within acceptable time frames. With implementation of the regulations, dispersant application resources will become more readily available.
From page 3...
... asked the National Academies to form a committee of experts to review the adequacy of existing information and ongoing research regarding the efficacy and effects of dispersants as an oil spill response technique in the United States.2 Emphasis was placed on understanding the limitations imposed by the various methods used in these studies and on recommending steps that should be taken to better understand the efficacy of dispersant use and the effect of dispersed oil on freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments. Specifically, the committee's task was to: · review and evaluate ongoing research and existing literature on dispersant use (including international studies)
From page 4...
... Research funds in the United States to support oil spill response options in general are extremely limited and declining (as discussed in Chapter 1, the total amount is less than $10 million annually)
From page 5...
... Better information is needed to determine the window of opportunity and percent effectiveness of dispersant application for different oil types and environmental conditions. Relevant state and federal agencies, industry, and appropriate international partners should develop and implement a focused series of studies that will enable the technical support staff advising decisionmakers to better predict the effectiveness of dispersants for different oil types and environmental conditions based on climatological data supplemented with real-time in-situ observations.
From page 6...
... Relevant state and federal agencies, industry, and appropriate international partners should develop and fund a focused series of studies to quantify the weathering rates and final fate of chemically dispersed oil droplets compared with undispersed oil. (Detailed and specific recommendations are discussed at length in Chapters 3 and 4.)
From page 7...
... Relevant state and federal agencies, industry, and appropriate international partners should initiate a detailed investigation of upper sea-surface turbulence with particular emphasis on quantifying horizontal and vertical diffusivities and the rate of energy dissipation. (Detailed and specific recommendations are discussed at length in Chapter 4.)
From page 8...
... (Detailed and specific recommendations are discussed in Chapters 3, 4 and 5.)


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