Oil Spill Workshop Prepares Virginia for Emergency Response
CONTACT:
Michelle Covi
(757) 683-6598
mcovi@odu.edu
In May 2017, 94,000 gallons of jet fuel spilled at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach. How prepared are we if another major oil spill occurs in the Mid-Atlantic?
Regional leaders in emergency management, environmental science, and human health will discuss concerns about future oil spills with stakeholders on March 29. The honorable delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler will provide opening remarks to welcome participants. This workshop will focus on spills from vessels and on land that flow into the Chesapeake Bay and other regional waterways.
Oil spills have far-reaching implications for seafood and tourism in the Chesapeake Bay. The Commonwealth has a high level of oil-spill expertise, and this workshop will communicate the emergency response process to coastal stakeholders. The agenda includes roundtable discussions and comments from coastal community members about their needs and concerns.
WHO: Sixty regional leaders in human health, environment, and emergency response
WHAT: “Mid-Atlantic Oil Spill: Are We Ready?” Workshop
WHEN: March 29, 2019, 9:00–5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront, 5700 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach
WEBSITE: https://gulfseagrant.org/oilspilloutreach/collaborative-workshop-series/mid-atlantic-oil-spill-are-we-ready/
This workshop is one of five nation-wide workshops hosted through the Sea Grant Oil Spill Group. The concerns that emerge from this workshop will inform research funding opportunities through the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
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Virginia Sea Grant advances the resilience and sustainability of Virginia’s coastal and marine ecosystems and the communities that depend upon them. As a broker of scientific information, in collaboration with seven partner universities, Virginia Sea Grant works with resource managers, businesses, communities, industries, and other stakeholders to provide and apply the best science available.
