Physical/Chemical Sciences Section (PCSS)

The Physical/Chemical Sciences Section (PCSS) provides the scientific expertise to support the GOM OCS Region’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended requirements and the Environmental Studies Program.

PCSS’s physical scientists, meteorologists and physical oceanographers are responsible for the following resources: air and water quality, meteorology, oceanography, and impacts to these resources such as air emissions, water discharges, and oil and chemical spills.

The Physical/Chemical Sciences Section:

• Advises management on environmental issues and on methods of environmental analysis, study or regulation, especially in the areas of: air quality or atmospheric sciences; water quality; physical oceanography; and oil spill response and risk assessment.
• In collaboration with the Environmental Studies Section, develops and manages studies to support BOEM’s mission. This effort involves designing the study and contract/cooperative agreement (CA)/inter-agency agreement (IA) specifications for scientific investigation; participating in the evaluation of contract/CA/IA proposals; providing technical oversight of study contracts/CA’s/IA’s; monitoring contract/CA/IA progress and performance; reviewing deliverable products; and approving invoices.
• Performs oil spill risk assessments for NEPA documents.
• Coordinates with other Federal, state and local agencies and partners, including the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), regarding oil spill issues, preparedness and response programs.

Topics of Interests:

• Air Quality (Atmospheric Sciences, Modeling, etc.)  Information that should be submitted to obtain approval for the air emissions associated with an Exploration Plan (EP) or Development Operations Coordination Document (DOCD) can be found at: http://www.boem.gov/Air-Quality-Reporting/.
• Associated Regulations
• Flaring
• HQ maintained Topic Pages
• Muds and Cuttings
• NTL’s
• Plans/Pipelines
• Physical Oceanography
• Oceanography
• Oil and Chemicals
• Water Quality - Information that should be submitted by OCS oil and gas operators to obtain approval for offshore discharges of treated wastes to the GOM and onshore waste disposal associated with your EP or DOCD can be found at: http://www.boem.gov/Water-Quality-Spreadsheets/.

Contact(s):

Margaret Metcalf, Sc.D. — Section Chief

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region
Office of the Environment
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70123