NOAA Office of Response and Restoration

NOAA`s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) is a center of expertise in preparing for, evaluating, and responding to threats to coastal environments, including oil and chemical spills, releases from hazardous waste sites, and marine debris. Our mission is to develop scientific solutions to keep the coasts clean from threats of oil, chemicals, and marine debris. To fulfill our mission of protecting and restoring NOAA trust resources, we: Provide scientific and technical support to prepare for and respond to oil and chemical releases. Determine damage to natural resources from these releases. Protect and restore marine and coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs. Work with communities to address critical local and regional coastal challenges. OR&R is comprised of four divisions: Emergency Response, Assessment and Restoration, Marine Debris, and the Disaster Preparedness Program.