Environmental impacts of incidents SPEAKER NAME SPEAKER APPOINTMENT National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Topics Oil character Oil character Why consider the environment? Why consider the environment? Environmental decision making Environmental decision making Vulnerable resources Vulnerable resources Summary Summary National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Oil character Oil is a general term used to describe a variety of natural substances of plant, animal and mineral origin Oil is a general term used to describe a variety of natural substances of plant, animal and mineral origin Oils are complex compounds containing hydrocarbon and other compounds. Oils are complex compounds containing hydrocarbon and other compounds. Oils vary greatly in their composition and therefore behaviour Oils vary greatly in their composition and therefore behaviour The behaviour influences environmental impacts and response strategies The behaviour influences environmental impacts and response strategies National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Why consider the environment? Environmental characteristics of an area will determine: What needs to be done What needs to be done –Response objectives –Protection/Clean-up priorities What can be done What can be done –Practicality of response –Furthering environmental damage UK Government legally responsible UK Government legally responsible - UNCLOS - EU Habitats Directive National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Environmental decision making Planning by objectives –Setting clear environmental or human health objectives that the Environment Group wants to be achieved. –Objective (First Advice) e.g. Prevent oil from impacting a particular habitat. –Strategy (Second stage advice): Use of deflection booming to divert oil away from site. –Tactic (Field): Use of shoreline protection boom deployed from point X. National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Prioritise –Identifying where an action will have best effect –Protection (Prevent impacts) e.g. salt- marsh have high protection priority. Sand beach has low protection priority –Clean-up (Assist with recovery) e.g. Sand beach have a high clean-up priority. Salt- marsh have a low clean-up priority National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training Environmental decision making

Vulnerable resources Offshore (deep water) Offshore (deep water) –Surface/breaching (diving and sea birds) –Water column/breaching (marine mammals, fish, plankton) Inshore (shallow water) Inshore (shallow water) –Surface (diving and sea birds) –Water column (marine mammals, fish) –Seabed (crustacean, fish nurseries, seagrass, shell fish) Onshore Onshore –(wading and shorebirds, marshes, marine mammals) National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Environmental effects depend on… Type of pollutant Type of pollutant –For oil it is viscosity, toxicity, behaviour, persistence and fate of oil Location Location –Different habitats and resources impacted Time of spill Time of spill –Tidal conditions (spring/neap/high/low) and season Environmental conditions Environmental conditions –Weather and sea state Clean-up action Clean-up action –Appropriateness and aggressiveness of methods

Saltmarsh High priority protection High priority protection Limited clean-up options (substrate and form dependant) Limited clean-up options (substrate and form dependant) Generally slow rates of clean-up Generally slow rates of clean-up Aggressive clean-up can delay recovery Aggressive clean-up can delay recovery National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Saltmarsh

Seagrass High priority protection High priority protection Considerations of differences between sub-tidal and inter-tidal meadows Considerations of differences between sub-tidal and inter-tidal meadows Shoreline stabilisation Shoreline stabilisation National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Rocky shoreline Low protection priority Low protection priority Low sensitivity due to: Low sensitivity due to: –High energy –Robust organisms –Rapid rates of recovery Consideration of different substrate types Consideration of different substrate types Are all rocky shorelines high energy? Are all rocky shorelines high energy? National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Mud shoreline High protection priority High protection priority Clean-up can be difficult Clean-up can be difficult Oil retention in anaerobic conditions Oil retention in anaerobic conditions Wading/feeding birds Wading/feeding birds National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Sand shoreline Low protection priority Low protection priority Medium/High Clean- up priority Medium/High Clean- up priority Associated fauna may increase/decrease the need for protection Associated fauna may increase/decrease the need for protection Percolation or burial of oil Percolation or burial of oil National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Fish Low protection priority Low protection priority Nursery grounds may be high protection priority Nursery grounds may be high protection priority Detect suspended and dissolved hydrocarbons and move on. Detect suspended and dissolved hydrocarbons and move on. Exceptions are benthic and territorial species Exceptions are benthic and territorial species National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Birds Habitat is high protection priority (eg feeding and nesting areas) Habitat is high protection priority (eg feeding and nesting areas) High susceptible to oil pollution: High susceptible to oil pollution: –Loss of insulation –Loss of buoyancy –Ingestion of oil –Changes in behaviour –Oiling of nests National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Oiled bird rehabilitation Varied success Varied success Dependant upon: Dependant upon: –Type of bird –Extent of oiling –Ease of capture –Logistics/resources –Triage Ability to survive on release may be decreased Ability to survive on release may be decreased National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Cetaceans Low protection priority Low protection priority Appear not to be overly bothered by oil spills Appear not to be overly bothered by oil spills Bit subjective Bit subjective Common sense would suggest oil in breeding and nursing areas might be a problem Common sense would suggest oil in breeding and nursing areas might be a problem National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Marine mammals - general Haul out and feeding areas are high protection and clean-up priority Haul out and feeding areas are high protection and clean-up priority Effects from: Effects from: –Inhalation –Ingestion –Skin contact –Loss of insulation National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Ecosystem A conceptual chronology: A conceptual chronology: -response in individuals then populations; -related changes in communities and ecosystems; -can result eventually in a monoculture. Recovery commences when toxicity declines to level tolerated by most robust colonising organism; Recovery commences when toxicity declines to level tolerated by most robust colonising organism; - recovery process not well understood; -ecosystem may never go back to original composition. National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Summary Effects of pollutants (including oil) on some habitats and individual species may be well known, less well known at the ecosystem level; Effects of pollutants (including oil) on some habitats and individual species may be well known, less well known at the ecosystem level; Effects of oil spills is wide–ranging affecting many species; Effects of oil spills is wide–ranging affecting many species; Effects can vary substantially (short-long-term and visual/non visual); Effects can vary substantially (short-long-term and visual/non visual); The UK government has a legal obligation to protect habitats and species. The UK government has a legal obligation to protect habitats and species. National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Role of Nature Conservation Agencies Government advisors on environmental issues – generally; Government advisors on environmental issues – generally; Members of core group of SEG (chair); Members of core group of SEG (chair); Undertake ELO role; Undertake ELO role; SCAT advisors; SCAT advisors; Environmental Impact Assessment advice. Environmental Impact Assessment advice. National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training