media and public, and forbids the manipulation, suppression, distortion and misuse of science in the agency. Early in President Obama's administration, he charged agencies with establishing strong scientific integrity policies that would 'return science to its rightful place' in government. NOAA's Scientific Integrity Policy has been called the "Platinum Standard" for agency policies in protecting the rights of scientists to communicate freely and in ensuring policy makers will not suppress or modify scientific findings. In addition, a first-ever all-agency-scientist workshop was held to identify scientific priorities and ways to strengthen science at the agency. This workshop helped form the foundation of NOAA's Next Generation Strategic Plan, which assesses the highest priority opportunities for NOAA to contribute to the advancement of society. Deepwater Horizon oil spill On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig off the coast of Louisiana unexpectedly exploded, causing oil to freely flow into the Gulf of Mexico for the next 87 days. NOAA was one of the lead agencies responsible for responding to the oil spill. Lubchenco led NOAA's response and coordination with 13 other agencies. NOAA provided data from satellites, planes, ships and buoys, and on-the-ground scientists to help track the oil and forecast where it would go; local weather forecasts to inform responders; scientific advice to the U.S. Coast Guard who is in charge of an oil spill in U.S. waters; kept seafood safe by closing fisheries in U.S. waters when oil was present or expected to be present; developed protocols with other agencies to reopen closed areas; protected endangered species such as turtles; and evaluated the impact of the spill on the natural resources of the Gulf and the public's access to them. Lubchenco was frequently interviewed by the media as a federal science expert, and helped disseminate the working knowledge of the response to the public. NOAA scientists and their academic partners continue to analyze and monitor the effects of the spill on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem where both offshore and nearshore organisms and habitats were impacted. Despite measures to reduce coastal oiling, approximately 2100 km of nearshore and coastal habitats were affected. On April 4, 2016 a Federal District judge approved a $20.8 billion settlement between the U.S. and five Gulf States and BP making the civil lawsuit over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill the largest environmental damage settlement with a single entity in U.S. history. Of this settlement amount,