Environmental Emergencies Section

The Environmental Emergencies Section (EES) is a multi-disciplinary team that delivers Environment Canada's responsibilities for environmental emergencies. The Environmental Emergencies program is delivered through five regional offices (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairie & Northern and Pacific & Yukon) and headquartered at the National Environmental Emergencies Center (NEEC) in Hull, Quebec. The scientific and technical resources required by the regional offices is provided through the Environmental Technology Center located in Ottawa. The environmental emergencies section is responsible for minimizing the impact of land and marine based spills through programs involving prevention, preparedness and advice to on scene responders. Environmental emergencies staff cooperate with the Canadian Coast Guard, as well as with other federal government departments and the Province of Ontario, to prevent, prepare for and respond to spills in Ontario.

In addition to these responsibilities, Environmental Emergencies staff are involved in programs such as:

Regional Environmental Emergency Team (REET)

In an environmental emergency situation, comprehensive environmental information must be made available in a timely fashion. The Regional Environmental Emergencies Team (REET) was established to bring together those individuals whose expertise is necessary to mount an effective response to an environmental emergency. The REET includes members from federal, provincial and local government agencies; First Nations, academia and industry associations, all of whom have specific expertise and/or responsibilities in planning for and responding to environmental emergencies.

In an emergency, REET is mobilized to provide advice to the On Scene Commander (OSC), the person in-charge of the emergency response activities. Generally, REET will likely be activated for large spills of oil and other hazardous materials in the Great Lakes and connecting channels, or spills that could cross international borders. Each area REET meets once a year and members share technical, scientific and legislative information on prevention, preparedness and response technologies, as well as to revisit roles and responsibilities of team members and update and/or revise them as necessary.

When a REET is activated, it provides advice to the On-Scene Commander on:

• methods to track the spill
• techniques that might be effective in removing the spill
• pro's and con's on using chemical countermeasures
• shoreline protection and cleanup priorities
• probable impacts of a spill on wildlife and sensitive shoreline areas
• contaminated waste management
• weather patterns, inclusive of wind and wave conditions and predicted storm events

Environmental Sensitivity Atlas (GLEESA)

The Environmental Emergencies Section is responsible for the development and operation of the regional environmental sensitivity mapping program. Environmental sensitivity atlases contain site specific information on sensitive areas and species, shoreline types, and spill countermeasures. They are designed for emergency preparedness and as a tool for on-scene responders. Atlases for the Great Lakes and connecting channels as well as a Geographic Information System (GIS) version of the sensitivity atlas (Great Lakes Electronic Environmental Sensitivity Atlas, GLEESA) are available as response tools to EES staff. These atlases were prepared in cooperation with other government agencies (provincial and federal), with approximately 15% of the funding coming from the private sector..

Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT)

When a marine or land based spill has the potential to affect shorelines, EES will assist in establishing priorities for shoreline protection and cleanup. In order to establish such priorities, EES may use the Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT). SCAT teams undertake comprehensive surveys of shoreline and oiling conditions. They collect information related to the types and characteristics of oil stranded on the shoreline, the geomorphologic features of the shoreline, and the environmental resources at risk, either from existing information sources or from field evaluations conducted at the time of a spill.

Training sessions (3-day SCAT course) are provided on SCAT procedures to all levels of government, industry, response organizations, First Nations and academia. The training covers shoreline processes, spill response techniques and the process of shoreline assessment. Manuals to support the training have also been developed.

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