Hello, everyone.
I'm Nicole LeBouef,
Assistant Administrator for NOAA's National Ocean Service.
As a part of our Science, Service, and Stewardship mission, NOAA plays
a vital role in protecting the nation's coastal and marine resources
and in restoring them when they're harmed by oil spills,
releases of hazardous waste and vessel groundings.
NOAA serves as trustee for those vital resources
and works in partnership with our co trustees from state, tribal
and other federal agencies in natural resource damage assessment
and restoration.
You see, when pollution harms our waterways, it damages
important habitats
for plants and animals and degrades the quality of life
for people who live, work and recreate
in impacted and neighboring areas.
Restoring the environment means implementing projects that will help
habitats, wildlife and coastal communities
recover quickly and completely.
In 2021, NOAA and our partners
recovered over $130 million
to restore ten polluted waterways in six states.
We did this by first conducting scientific and economic studies
to evaluate the impacts of pollution on these waterways.
We then reached legal agreements with those responsible
for the pollution to pay for the restoration projects in these areas.
For example,
the Lower Duwamish River in Washington state has been contaminated
with a variety of toxic chemicals
from many sources since the early 1900s.
Migratory salmon that use the river as a nursery have been harmed.
Local Native American tribes, for whom salmon have
enormous cultural value have also been impacted.
Two legal settlements in 2021 yielded over $50 million
for restoration of habitats around the lower Duwamish River
that will benefit
fish and wildlife, including threatened salmon species.
In Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara, California,
a pipeline ruptured in 2015, spilling
over 100,000 gallons of crude oil,
much of which flowed onto beaches and into the Pacific Ocean.
The oil harmed marine wildlife and adversely affected shoreline
areas, underwater habitats, beaches and parks.
Fortunately, over $20 million was secured for restoration
of coastal ecosystems, recreational areas
and fish and wildlife affected by the spill.
The Kalamazoo River in Michigan was contaminated
when chemicals known as PCBs
were released from paper mills into the river.
Fish, wildlife and outdoor recreation were significantly impacted.
In the end, $25 million
was obtained for partial restoration of the Kalamazoo,
including dam removals, land conservation
and enhancement of river shoreline habitats.
These cases illustrate the harm that can occur from oil spills
and other types of contamination, and show what's possible
when we work with those responsible for the pollution
to provide restoration. Restoration
projects are good for natural habitats
and offer economic benefits to coastal communities,
including underserved and indigenous communities,
too often disproportionately affected by pollution.
Restoration also promotes the sustainable use of healthy
coastal resources
vital to the long term health of our ocean and coastal communities.
For more than
30 years, NOAA has worked with our partners to secure over
ten and a half billion dollars to restore critical coastal habitats,
fisheries, endangered species and outdoor recreational
areas impacted by pollution around the country.
When NOAA obtains settlement agreements supporting projects
that restore waterways, all Americans benefit.
On behalf of the NOAA workforce, we are proud of the work
we do to safeguard America's coastal resources
and help the environment recover.
Thank you.