MDA to work with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help track illegal discharges of oil

 

April 8, 2013

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has signed a contract valued at US$1.7 million with the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation ("NFWF"), headquartered in Washington, DC.  NFWF is working to protect delicate ecological environments by funding a satellite monitoring pilot program designed to detect illegal discharges of oil from vessels operating in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone ("EEZ") and to reduce the number of those incidents.

Over the course of the 18-month program, MDA and NFWF, in consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard, will coordinate the collection and analysis of satellite-based ship and oil detection information to help promote environmental compliance within the U.S. EEZ and to prevent environmental crimes from recurring.

The monies for the monitoring program originated from community service funds directed to NFWF pursuant to a sentence issued in the successful prosecution of an environmental crimes case involving the illegal dumping of oil from vessels, the bypassing of onboard pollution prevention equipment, and improper oil recordkeeping.