Researchers release study on emissions from BP/Deepwater Horizon controlled burns

Black smoke billows from a controlled burn of surface oil during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A new study by NOAA and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) found that controlled burns released more than one million pounds of sooty black carbon into the atmosphere....

Joplin tornado offers important lessons for disaster preparedness

NOAA's National Weather Service released its final assessment report on the May 22 tornado that struck Joplin, Mo. The report identifies best practices and makes recommendations to help save more lives during future violent tornadoes....

Ship owners and operators to pay $44 million for 2007 Cosco Busan crash and oil spill

Federal, state, and Bay area officials announced a comprehensive civil settlement with the owners and operators of the M/V Cosco Busan, resolving all natural resource damages, penalties, and response costs that resulted from the ship striking the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in 2007, and subsequent oil spill in the San Francisco Bay....

$36.8 million from Cosco Busan settlement to restore natural resources and improve recreation in S.F. Bay Area

State and federal trustee agencies will use most of the funds from a $36.8 million settlement of natural resource damages to restore natural resources injured by the Nov. 7, 2007 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay and improve Bay Area recreational opportunities impacted by the spill....

VDatum a vital GIS tool for safe navigational products

NOAA's just-completed first edition VDatum tool will allow users to combine and transform geospatial data from different sources onto a single vertical reference surface, removing the largest obstacle GIS users face when creating products that enable safe navigation and serve other vital purposes for coastal communities....