NOAA Announces to their Divers

To All NOAA Divers,

In response to several requests from NOAA divers for clarification on

acceptable areas for diving in the Gulf of Mexico, the NOAA Diving

Control and Safety Board sought advice from several agencies including

the US Navy, EPA and NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R). 

Based on this advice, the Board decided to establish a "diving exclusion

zone" extending 30 NM beyond the furthest boundary line shown in the

72-Hour Nearshore Surface Oil Forecast for the Deepwater Horizon (MC252)

incident which is produced and updated daily by OR&R.

As the boundary line may change daily, it is imperative that all NOAA

divers wishing to dive in the Gulf of Mexico consult the OR&R webpage to

view the projected location of the surface and near-surface oil over the

next 72 hours and then extend it outward 30 additional miles.  The

72-Hour Nearshore Surface Oil Forecast can be viewed at:

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon.  Exceptions to

this policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Unit

Diving Supervisor and Line Office Diving Officer.  Such exceptions will

only be considered when the absence of both surface and subsurface oil

can be verified.  It is important to note that this is a surface and

near-surface forecast and does not guarantee areas outside the forecast

area will be free of oil.  Divers need to be vigilant when diving in the

Gulf of Mexico and be prepared to cancel or abort dives if oil is

detected prior to or during diving operations.

Thank you for your compliance with this directive.

Dave

--

David A. Dinsmore

NOAA Diving Program Manager

NOAA Diving Center

7600 Sand Point Way, NE

Seattle, WA 98115-0070

(206) 526-6705 Office

(206) 669-9842 Cell

(206) 526-6506 Fax

© 2010, lars2923. All rights reserved.