Increased Frequency and Potential Environmental Impacts from Oil Spills After Hurricane Landfalls

Abstract

The increased frequency of oil spills, specifically after hurricanes, can have lingering effects throughout the ecosystem and can cause complexities while restorative efforts are underway. Certain environmentally sensitive areas require different restoration techniques to allow for proper removal of oil with minimal disturbance to the habitat. This project aims to compare oil spills immediately after a hurricane and a non-hurricane event, allowing for a visual representation of increased frequency. Displaying environmentally sensitive areas within the reach of oil spills will illustrate potential impacts of protected and vulnerable land. With numerous sources of publicly available data, we can display where and how much sensitive land may be impacted. Analyzing distance from oil spills, focusing on protected habitats, and concentrating on the most vulnerable and sensitive land will give a precise picture of the lasting impacts of a hurricane. This study looked at two different four-day periods. The first one during normal weather events, and the second was immediately after the landfall of Hurricane Ida. Results show that there was a 600 percent increase in pollution events over a four-day period. This project focuses on one specific hurricane event but provides valuable information. With more time and personnel this process can easily be scaled up to each hurricane that makes landfall in the U.S. Understanding increases in pollution events beforehand, knowing which areas are most vulnerable, and ensuring resources can be deployed easier and faster can allow for less impacts on wildlife and the environment.