The Oil Spill Act Advisory Committee met in Plymouth for its annual update on oil‑spill preparedness and response. MassDEP staff reported financial, equipment and exercise updates and previewed a new round of MOSFRA grants.

Steve Mahoney, who presented the program’s finances, said the program’s trust fund is in an interest-bearing account and estimated the fund balance at about $46,000,000. He cited a prior Nuka study that estimated reserves needed to meet statutory obligations for a major spill would be roughly $30,000,000 with escalation adjustments.

Julie Atchison, program coordinator, outlined the state’s trailer and equipment posture. “Each trailer has a thousand feet of boom in it,” Atchison said, and she described an ongoing inspection and maintenance effort for the 81 trailers staged across coastal towns. Atchison said five trailers (Plymouth, Falmouth, Marshfield, New Bedford and Wellfleet) are priorities for immediate replacement; Moran Environmental has been contracted to build and deliver the replacements within weeks and to transfer interior equipment from retired trailers.

Staff described recent and planned investments in ports and sensors. Jim Collins explained the ports system — NOAA‑partnered buoys, current meters and MET stations — and said Boston Harbor deployments are in the installation and permitting phase. Collins said Massport and the FAA have approved certain features, while installation of an air‑gap sensor on the Tobin Memorial Bridge is pending additional MassDOT review of wind and loading calculations.

Grant activity was reviewed: MOSFRA awarded 15 grants in FY25 totaling $691,000 and earlier awarded nine grants in 2021. Examples of recent awards include training and field‑kit support to the New England Wildlife Center, navigational equipment for pilot associations, drone and mapping projects for municipal fire departments, and planning work for river watershed spill‑response plans. Staff said they plan to post a new solicitation late this year or early next year and expect to award over $1 million in the next round.

Geographic Response Strategy (GRS) work remains central to preparedness: Atchison said the program has trained 3,056 first responders over 17 years, maintains 160 GRS strategies with multiple tactics, and runs about 10 exercises annually (a three‑year rotation for participating communities). Officials emphasized in‑person planning sessions for exercises, on‑water safety, and the value of interagency participation from town fire and harbor departments, Coast Guard units and university partners.

MassDEP staff also described efforts to expand remote training content, including drone footage captured during exercises to illustrate deployment tactics, marine anchors and adjustment techniques.

The committee closed with a reminder that the full meeting recording would be posted on the MassDEP website and an invitation to view an oil‑spill trailer staged in the parking lot.