Environmental Issues Galleries

Snowy Plovers and The New Carissa : In a 1999 winter storm off the Oregon coast the New Carissa was carring 425,000 gallons of fuel oil when waves grounded the vessel near Coos Bay. The crew of 23 were safely evacuated, but the storm continued to pound the ship and fuel started leaking. To reduce the potential environmental impact, a decision was made to burn the fuel rather than have it continue to leak. The heat of the fire split the vessel in two. Later the bow ws hauled out to sea only to have another storm break the tow line and the bow once again returned to the shore, this time near Waldport where it began leaking oil once again. Eventually, the bow was taken back out to sea and sunk in 10,000 feet of water by a US Navy torpedo. When the New Carissa grounded the first time, it was just off-shore from a nesting habitat of the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus). The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated that about 265,000 liters (70,000 gallons) of oil were released into marine waters during the Coos Bay phase of the New Carissa incident. Additionally, they estimated that another 7,600 liters (2,000 gallons) were released into the marine environmental during the Waldport phase of the grounding event. Many species of birds, including the snowy plover, were soiled with oil as a result of the incident, and there were numerous mortalities. It is estimated that at least 40 to 50 snowy plovers were oiled during the incident, representing about 50 percent or more of the Oregon wintering population. One snowy plover was found dead with oil on it, and another two that had been seen during the incident with heavy oiling, were never seen again (1). The stern of the vessel will be removed during 2008. (1) Draft Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover. US Fish & Wildlife Service

Snowy Plovers and The New Carissa

In a 1999 winter storm off the Oregon coast the New Carissa was carrin ...

Updated: May 31, 2008 9:06am PST

Logging Old Growth Forests : Since the 1980's logging has been controversial in the Pacific Northwest and the Northern Spotted Owl has been at the center of it all. Somehow, scientists, resource managers, and the logging industry must all agree on the definition of sustainability. For without Old-growth forests, we all will suffer in different ways. See the Yew and Taxol gallery for just one example.

Logging Old Growth Forests

Since the 1980's logging has been controversial in the Pacific Northwe ...

Updated: Jun 11, 2008 8:16pm PST

Invasive Species : Invasive species occur in all types of habitats in Oregon - from the coast to the eastern dry desert. View a list of invasive species from all habitats at: OBPs Invasive Species Guide or report a sighting of invasives here:

Invasive Species

Invasive species occur in all types of habitats in Oregon - from the ...

Updated: Aug 23, 2009 5:01pm PST

Yaquina River Oil Spill : In a tragic accident in the early hours of a January morning in 2001, a young driver lost his life. The oil tanker he was driving spilled 5,800 gallons of fuel oil next to and into the Yaquina River. Environmental impact was minimal but a great effort was needed to clean up the area, including personnel from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon Department of Transportation, and various private contractors(1). This was not the only oil spill for the Yaquina. In November 1983, when a 350-foot general cargo freighter name the "Blue Magpie tried to enter the Yaquina Bay it hit the ocean side of the north jetty. The fuel tanks ruptured releasing as much as 60,000 gallons of Bunker-C oil(2). Someday, the world may be free of it's dependency on oil, but in the mean time, we will all continue to look for better ways. (1) 2001, EPA 540-N-01-002. OSWER 9360.8-28 (2) 1988, Bayer. Oregon Birds 14(2):157-161

Yaquina River Oil Spill

In a tragic accident in the early hours of a January morning in 2001, ...

Updated: Jun 09, 2008 6:43pm PST

Energy : Photos related to issues of energy consumption, use, and conservation.

Energy

Photos related to issues of energy consumption, use, and conservation.

Updated: Jun 14, 2009 10:28am PST

Hazardous Waste : Environmental issues from household hazardous waste.

Hazardous Waste

Environmental issues from household hazardous waste.

Updated: Jul 21, 2008 8:28pm PST