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EPA’s Ocean-Going Research Vessel Visits Portland - Free Public “Open House” on Friday, July 21

Release Date: 07/19/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan – (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – July 19, 2006) – EPA’s New England regional office is offering Mainers a first-ever free public open house tour of EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel “The Bold,” on Fri. July 21, from 1-5 p.m., at the Maine State Pier on Commercial St., by the waterfront in downtown Portland.

The Bold is a converted U.S. Navy 224-foot ocean surveillance ship that is specifically designed to help EPA conduct water sampling and perform data analysis. One of the Bold’s first missions was to perform coastal monitoring after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf of Mexico.

The vessel is staffed by a team of EPA scientists who are conducting surveys in New England waters such as collecting surf clams and ocean quahogs to test for Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) associated with red tide.

The ship is used to monitor and assess the impacts of pollution and the health of our coastal and ocean waters, and is outfitted with state-of-the art equipment used to collect samples including water and sediments and has onboard laboratories.

The public is invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity to take a glimpse into the world of ocean monitoring – and environmental sampling and analysis.

More information on the Bold (epa.gov/bold/)

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