Environmental Impact And Mitigation Of Oil Spills

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As part of the federal government’s response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a $2 million Congressional appropriation for a grant or grants for “a study on the potential human and environmental risks and impacts of the release of crude oil and the application of dispersants, surface washing agents, bioremediation agents, and other mitigation measures listed in the National Contingency Plan Product List (40 C.F.R. Part 300 Subpart J)...” To implement this appropriation through its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant program, EPA is seeking applications proposing to develop a research program, including an effective community outreach program component, to mitigate the impact of oil spills. The research program must address one or more of the following topics: (1) development of cost-effective innovative technologies to mitigate the impact of oil spills; (2) development of effective oil dispersants, surface washing agents, bioremediation agents, and other mitigation measures (“dispersants/agents/measures”) with low environmental impact; and (3) investigation of the effects of oil spills and application of dispersants/agents/measures on the environment. Applicants must also submit a community outreach program plan, the objective of which is to help impacted Gulf Coast communities effectively participate in the study and use its results. To achieve this objective, the applicant should work collaboratively with affected communities to identify significant risks posed by oil spills to human health and the environment, obtain their input in the design of a study to help the communities address these challenges, and provide technical assistance to them so that they can use the results of the study

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