Environmental Unit Workshop – 2022

In May of 2022, the Northwest Area Committees hosted a two-day workshop, with the objective of providing training focused on topics that an Environmental Unit would be faced with in an ICS-organized incident response.

The presentations below are organized by the day and agenda order in which they were presented.


Workshop Agenda

Workshop Day 1

Workshop Day 2

Scientific Support Coordinator

Faith Knighton, NOAA

Wildlife Issues

Don Noviello, WDFW

Oils 101

Chris Barker, NOAA

Intro to Important Plans

Don Pettit, DEQ; Matt Bissell, Ecology; Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, Ecology; Laura Hayes, Ecology

Northwest Area Contingency Plan (NWACP)

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, Ecology

Response Technologies

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, Ecology

Geographic Response Plans (GRPs)

Don Pettit, DEQ; Sarah Behrman, DEQ; David Prater, Ecology Matt Bissell, Ecology

Intro to Permits

Matt Bissell, Ecology

ESA Compliance

Allison O’Brien Hall, DOI; Valerie Chu, USFWS; Faith Knighton, NOAA

EU Role in Tactics

Cheryl Surface, Incident Response Consultants

ICS 232 Resources at Risk

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, Ecology; Don Noviello, WDFW

EU and Operations Section

Cheryl Surface, Incident Response Consultants

Additional Related Resources:

List of available recordings or resources for preparation or additional information (provided to workshop participants prior to the event):

Presentation Recordings

Scientific Support Coordinator and Intro to NOAA Tools

Faith Knighton, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Commander Faith Knighton from NOAA explains the role of the scientific support coordinator during an oil spill response. Also highlighted are the different NOAA tools available.

Oil Transport and Fate (Oils 101 pts 1 & 2)

Chris Barker, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Christopher Barker of NOAA’s Emergency Response Division presents on the different types of oil, how they react in the environment, and response measures.

NW Regional Contingency Plan

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Linda Pilkey Jarvis of the Washington Department of Ecology goes over the Northwest Region Contingency Plan.

Geographic Response Plans (NW GRPs pts 1 & 2)

Don Pettit, OR Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

David Prater, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Sarah Behrman, OR Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

Matt Bissell, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Don Pettit of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and David Prater of the Washington Department of Ecology present on Geographic Response Plans.

Endangered Species Act (ESA) Compliance

Allison O’Brien Hall, US Dept. of Interior (DOI)

Valerie Chu, US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)

Faith Knighton, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Resources at Risk & ICS Form 232

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Don Noviello, WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (DFW)

Don Noviello of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife presents on the ICS 232 form detailing Resources at Risk. Following the presentation is a group activity and Q&A.


Wildlife Response

Don Noviello, WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (DFW)

Don Noviello of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife provides and overview of the Wildlife Branch duties during an oil spill response. Also detailed are how oil affects different animals, and processes and tools used by wildlife staff during a response.

Introduction to Important Plans

Don Pettit, OR Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

Matt Bissell, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Laura Hayes, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Don Pettit introduces the different plans used in an environmental response, Matt Bissell presents on the components of the non-floating oil plan, Linda Pilkey-Jarvis provides a brief overview of the decanting plan, Laura Hayes presents on air quality monitoring, and Matt Bissell then gives an overview of the inadvertent discovery plan.

Response Technologies

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Washington Department of Ecology’s Linda Pilkey-Jarvis explains different response tactics and tools used during a spill.

Permits 101

Matt Bissell, WA Dept. of Ecology (ECY)

Washington Department of Ecology’s Matt Bissell goes over the many different permits used in oil spill response work.

Environmental Unit (EU) Role in Tactics Planning

Cheryl Surface, Incident Response Consultants

Cheryl Surface of Incident Response Consultants explains the role of the Environmental Unit before and during the Tactics Meeting.

Environmental Unit (EU) and Operations Coordination

Cheryl Surface, Incident Response Consultants

Cheryl Surface of Incident Response Consultants presents on the functions of the Operations Section and how it works with the Environmental Unit.