The Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research unanimously approved the Oil Pollution Research & Technology Plan for FY2015-2021 at the committee's quarterly meeting 29 September 2015 in Arlington, Virginia.

The purpose of the plan is to provide current assessments of the nation's oil pollution research needs and priorities. This is the first update to the plan since 1997.

"The research needs focus on the tools and technologies employed by the Coast Guard On-Scene Coordinators to address oil spills in the marine environment," said Bill Vocke, who works for the Coast Guard's incident management and preparedness policy directorate at Coast Guard Headquarters and also serves as ICCOPR's executive director.

"Addressing these priority needs will not only improve our capabilities to respond to spills but also improve prevention, preparedness, and injury assessment/restoration capabilities," said Vocke. For more information, visit Bureau of Safety and Environmental Research.