Wildlife Services Role and Involvement in Oil Spill Response

1. Wildlife Services Role and Involvement in Oil Spill Response Kyle Van Why Wildlife Disease Biologist Regional Response Team III – Gettysburg, PA 16 September 2009

2. Wildlife Services Role in Response • APHIS is an Emergency Response Agency • November 2007, WS Deputy Administrator, Bill Clay formed the WS Contaminants Response Work Group • Wildlife Services is a non-regulatory agency with no mandated emergency management function. • Requires a request for assistance prior to involvement – coordinated through State Directors • National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP) • The program's Wildlife Disease Biologists (WDBs) act as WS' first responders through NWDP's Surveillance and Emergency Response System (SERS). • Select Wildlife Services personnel have been trained by USFWS in HAZWOPER and are certified to assist with response programs.

3. History of Wildlife Services Oil Spill Response • ATHOS I INCIDENT – Delaware River • PA and NJ personnel involved • Capture and Harassment • Bayou Perot – Gulf Coast • LA personnel involved • Capture, Harassment, Evidence Collection • New Orleans Barge DM 932 – Mississippi River • LA and MS personnel involved • Capture, Harassment, and Scouting

4. Wildlife Services – What Can We Provide • Provide federal leadership in alleviating damage cause by wildlife to protect agriculture, human health and safety, natural resources, and property. • Wildlife Harassment • Wildlife Capture • Pesticide Training and Licenses • Permits • Wildlife Observation • Public Relations • Training • Techniques Development • Equipped Personnel • ICS Trained (100, 200, 300) • Certified Wildlife Biologist • Safety Training (HAZWOPER, firearms, cannon net, boating, first aid)

5. Wildlife Harassment • Experience in harassment of multiple wildlife species from various habitat types • Use of Visual, Acrostic, Chemical, Physical, Biological methods Wildlife Services has equipment available to initiate harassment activities almost immediately if assistance is requested. Personnel are stationed across each state and individually equipped.

6. Visual Harassment of Wildlife • Lasers • Effigy • Scarecrow/scarryman • Mylar tape • Kites • Balloons

7. Acoustic Harassment of Wildlife • Pyrotechnics • Propane Cannons • Sirens • Natural Sounds

8. Chemical Deterrents for Use on Wildlife Methyl Anthranilate- flavoring in grape products, naturally occurring compound, irritates birds causing dispersal and avoidance, does not affect other wildlife. Identified as a pleasant grape odor.

9. Physical and Biological Methods to Harass Wildlife • Remote Control • Dogs • Falconry • Paintball

10. Wildlife Capture Techniques – Coda Nets

11. Wildlife Capture Techniques - Nets • Bownets • Cannon Nets • Air Cannon • Rocket Nets Significant amount of experience with waterfowl captured from recent High Pathogenic Avian Influenza Surveillance Program

12. Wildlife Capture Techniques - Traps Decoy Traps Padded Legholds – Methods developed and tested by USDA-WS-NWRC to safely capture birds. Swim-in Traps

13. Hand Capture of Wildlife

14. Chemical Capture Methods Used with Wildlife • ALPHA CHLORALOSE – chemical immobilization of waterfowl (ducks and geese). Used effectively during ATHOS spill. • Selectively bait oiled birds and remove for cleaning. • Restrictions during hunting seasons – emergency exemptions authorized

15. Surveillance and Documentation of Oiled of Wildlife

16. Surveillance and Documentation of Oiled of Wildlife Trapping of mammal species to determine evidence of oil Survey extent of oil spill and any new areas where spill may have spread to or wildlife may have moved to.

17. Activity Reporting, Recovery and Evidence Collection Work with law enforcement and investigation team on collection of dead wildlife and processing for evidence. Experience with proper handing and report of wildlife mortality events.

18. Planning and Coordination • Personnel Experienced with: • Working with Law-enforcement • Talking to the public • Obtaining property access • Acting as a liaison with other agencies

19. Training • Alaska WS program conducts Bird Deterrence Workshops for ALL oil companies operating in the State. • This is dictated by the Alaska Dept Of Environmental Conservation • Training includes, bird ID, harassment techniques, equipment operation • WS field staff assist with spill response as requested

20. WS New Faces in RRT III Coverage Area New State Directors in RRT III area (as well as in many other WS offices) State Director Wildlife Disease Biologist • Harris Glass Pennsylvania Kyle Van Why 717-236-9451 • Scott Barras Virginia Marcus Gray 804-739-7739 • Chris Croson West Virginia Jerry Hill 304-636-1785 • Kevin Sullivan Maryland Dan Emanueli 410-349-8055 Wildlife Disease Biologist in RRT III area (with 44 deployable positions in WS as part of the NWDP – Surveillance and Emergency Response Program) APHIS is an emergency response agency that operates under the National Response Framework (NRF), a comprehensive guide on how the nation deals with emergencies. The program's Wildlife Disease Biologists (WDBs) act as WS' first responders through NWDP's Surveillance and Emergency Response System (SERS).

21. Research -NWRC • National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) • NWRC is the federal institution devoted to resolving problems caused by the interaction of wild animals and society. The Center applies scientific expertise to the development of practical methods to resolve these problems and to maintain the quality of the environments shared with wildlife. • 10 Field Stations and Colorado Headquarters focused on various wildlife damage situations

22. WS Contaminants Response Work Group • Jason Suckow, WI State Director, Chair • Dwight LeBlanc, LA State Director • Scott Barras, VA State Director • Roger Woodruff, WA/AK State Director • Dennis Orthmeyer, CA Assistant SD • Janet Bucknall, Deputy Director OSS • Dale Nolte, Assistant Wildlife Disease Coord. Goal to create response request protocols, enhance relationship with USFWS, increase cross-training opportunities, and provide assistance to US Coast Guard and USFWS as requested.

23. Questions Bayou Perot Project- Primarily oiled alligators Louisiana Wildlife Services has All the Fun.