Summary

Description

ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife based on sensitivity to spilled oil. There are three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. The shoreline and intertidal areas are ranked based on sensitivity determined by: (1) Shoreline type (substrate, grain size, tidal elevation, origin); (2) Exposure to wave and tidal energy; (3) Biological productivity and sensitivity; and (4) Ease of cleanup. The biology layers focus on threatened/endangered species, areas of high concentration, and areas where sensitive life stages may occur. Supporting data tables provide species-/location-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information. Human-use resources mapped include managed areas (parks, refuges, critical habitats, etc.) and resources that may be impacted by oiling and/or cleanup (beaches, archaeological sites, marinas, etc.). ESIs are available for the majority of the US coastline, as well as the US territories. ESI data are available in a variety of GIS formats, as well as PDF maps. For more information or to download complete ESI data sets, go to: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi.