Oil Spill Exercise in Portsmouth on September 21

Portsmouth, NH - The Portsmouth Oil Spill Response Workgroup is sponsoring an oil spill exercise on September 21, 2022. The exercise will provide participants with an opportunity to assess capabilities, plans, policies and procedures. It will focus on decision making, coordination and integration with other organizations during a significant coastal oil spill. The expected outcome of the exercise will be improved working relationships between various local, state and federal agencies, as well as the local oil industry.  Additionally, a field component will be conducted placing oil spill boom in the area of the Bellamy River and the Oyster River. The deployment will assess the capabilities of various spill response assets from these same groups to successfully place spill protection strategies, communicate with the command post and to work together.   

The following agencies and organizations will participate in the exercise.
N.H. Department of Environmental Services
N.H. Department of Fish and Game
N.H. Port Authority
N.H. Division of Natural and Cultural Resources
N.H. Department of Transportation
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
U.S. Coast Guard First District
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Facility Response Team
U.S. Ecology

The Portsmouth Oil Spill Response Workgroup is chaired by NHDES, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard. For more information on this exercise please contact, Jason Domke, Planning and Preparedness Manager, Spill Response and Complaint Investigation Section at Jason.domke@des.nh.gov or (603) 559-1506.