NOAA to build Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center

Sept. 23, 2009
NOAA has awarded Complete Building Corp. a $4.4-million contract to construct the Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Alabama.

Offshore staff

WASHINGTON D.C. -- NOAA has awarded Complete Building Corp. a $4.4-million contract to construct the Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Alabama. The facility will be the regional home for the agency’s Office of Response and Restoration, the NOAA organization charged with responding to oil spills, hazardous material releases, and marine debris.

Construction is scheduled to begin later this year, with project completion expected in spring 2011. The 15,000-sq ft (1,394-sq m) facility will house up to 25 personnel, and will be constructed to withstand a major hurricane.

“More than 20 million people living in Gulf coastal areas are vulnerable to natural disasters such as hurricanes and the resulting oil spills, hazardous materials incidents, and marine debris that have devastating effects on coastal economies,” says John H. Dunnigan, assistant administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “This center’s support for disaster planning, response, and recovery efforts in the region will provide services that will enhance the resilience of coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems to these and other hazards.”

09/23/2009