The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary plays an important role in keeping us safe during emergencies related to our ocean and the atmosphere. We are all familiar with NOAA’s use of satellites and weather radar to collect real-time data to provide timely alerts, promoting life-saving preparedness and evacuations.

After a natural or human-caused disaster, the sanctuary coordinates with other agencies to minimize damage to the environment. We are supporting and contributing in important ways to the two most recent emergency response incidents that occurred in or near our sanctuary: the partial collapse of the Santa Cruz Wharf and the battery plant fire in Moss Landing.

Who can forget the images of 150 feet of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsing into the sanctuary on Dec. 23? Potentially hazardous materials such as engine fluid and debris were released into the marine environment, raising concerns about pollution and threats to marine life.

Sanctuary staff quickly mobilized to coordinate with agencies, principally the city of Santa Cruz and the U.S. Coast Guard. For any incident, our first objective is human safety, which is the purview of our emergency response partners. The sanctuary’s expertise is in natural resource assessment — working with others we determine what response actions are appropriate to minimize impacts to marine wildlife and the sanctuary ecosystem. An early concern was the hazardous marine debris, such as large and small wood pilings floating in the intertidal and washing up on beaches.

California State Parks and the city of Santa Cruz led the removal of these hazards from local beaches. We are currently coordinating with the city of Santa Cruz and the Coast Guard to remove a crane, skid loader and remaining sunken debris safely from the sanctuary. In preparation for this salvage operation, we coordinated with the U.S. Geological Survey for current seafloor mapping data and images to ensure the salvage operations are based on the best available science and tools to safeguard our beautiful waters.

Santa Cruz Office of Emergency Services Manager Meredith Albert says, “This event leveraged old partnerships in new ways. No single agency had everything needed to respond alone. By working together with Monterey Bay sanctuary and the Coast Guard, each partner brought essential skills and resources, demonstrating that coordinated action is key to both immediate response and long-term recovery.”

The fire at the Vistra Energy battery storage facility in Moss Landing on Jan. 16 prompted an immediate response from the North County Fire department. Monterey County issued evacuation orders for residents to avoid exposure to the plume.

Our emergency response staff has been coordinating with Monterey County Environmental Health Department and the California Environmental Protection Agency, who are leading a multi-agency response group. A subteam is focused on sampling the soot, residue and other areas around the fire, including soil, air, health and drinking water.

On request, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and other federal, state and local resource agencies and academics have developed a sampling plan for sensitive biological resources, such as sea otters, pinnipeds, seabirds, fish and other biota. This biota team meets regularly and has conducted a variety of sampling in order to better understand any potential effects to the ecosystem.

Karen Grimmer, Sanctuary resource protection coordinator noted, “The biota team is concerned that local soil and water, (agriculture) fields, the Elkhorn Slough, harbor and the sanctuary may have been impacted by the battery fire’s contaminants.”

The biota team is closely monitoring these parameters to ensure appropriate follow ups happen to mitigate any potential impacts to our cherished environment that is the source of livelihoods for many in our community.

Superintendent Lisa Wooninck and her staff at NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary conduct research, education and resource protection in one of most biodiverse marine protected areas in the world. Learn about new and exciting stories by the sanctuary within these articles. Wooninck can be reached at lisa.wooninck@noaa.gov. To learn more about the sanctuary, visit montereybay.noaa.gov.