Renewable Energy Research Ongoing Studies

Birds and Bats

Data Synthesis and High-resolution Predictive Modeling of Marine Bird Spatial Distributions on the Pacific OCS

• Provide detailed information linking varying environmental and oceanographic conditions to seabirds within the Pacific OCS and help define habitat characteristics and identify mechanisms that aggregate seabirds.

Determining Offshore Use by Diving Marine Birds Using Satellite Telemetry

• Determine the occurrence and movement patterns south of New England to the Outer Banks of three diving marine bird species with diverse life history strategies: the surf scoter, northern gannet and red- throated loon.

Developing and Applying a Vulnerability Index for Scaling the Possible Adverse Effects of Offshore Renewable Energy Projects on Seabirds on the Pacific OCS

• Increase BOEM’s understanding of the flight behavior of seabirds and provide a means to rank and assess the vulnerability of specific seabird species on the Pacific OCS based on the habits and activities of birds at sea.

Habitat Affinities and At-sea Ranging Behaviors among Main Hawaiian Island Seabirds

• Increase BOEM’s understanding of at-sea habitat utilization and ranging behaviors for seabirds breeding within the main Hawaiian Islands.

Integration of Offshore Avian Spatial Data into the USFWS Information, Planning and Conservation System

• Integrate seabird data collected on OCS into the USFWS Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) decision support system.

Integrative Statistical Modeling and Predictive Mapping of Seabird Distribution and Abundance on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf

• Provide easily understandable information in the form of maps of distribution and abundance of birds to aid offshore wind development siting decisions and reduce the risk of impacts to birds.

Pilot Study Tracking Offshore Occurrence of Common Terns and American Oystercatchers with VHF – extended to include Roseate Terns and Piping Plovers

• Document movements between nesting sites and foraging areas of terns and oyster catchers, using a new technology, as well as their movements when departing for fall migration, and to determine to what extent they fly over federal waters where potential exists for future energy development projects. The study is extended to include endangered Roseate Terns and threatened Piping Plovers.

Tracking Movements of Threatened Migratory rufa Red Knots in U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Waters

• Using nano-tag technology to track red knot migration along the Atlantic Coast

Tracking Northern Long-Eared Bat Offshore Foraging and Migration Activities

• Use nano-tag transmitter technology and a network of receivers to investigate the risk of offshore wind energy development to the Northern Long-eared Bats.

Year-round and Diel Patterns in Habitat-use of Seabirds off Oregon

• Study aimed at obtaining quantitative information on year-round, diurnal/nocturnal, and weather- related patterns in movements, behaviors, residence time, and migration corridors for seabirds.

Cultural and Archaeological Resources

Archaeological and Biological Assessment of Submerged Landforms off the Pacific Coast

• Determine if landforms and sites are being identified correctly from the geophysical data acquired under guidelines published in NTL 2006-P03, and if these buried landforms actually are preserved prehistoric sites.

Battle of the Atlantic

• Continue investigation of Allied losses in the Graveyard of the Atlantic including US and British naval vessels, as well as US Merchant Marine ships.

Characterizing Tribal Cultural Landscapes

• Develop a proactive approach to working with Native American communities in order to identify areas of tribal significance that need to be considered in the planning process.

Developing Protocols for Reconstructing Submerged Paleocultural Landscapes and Identifying Ancient Native American Archaeological Sites in Submerged Environments

• Enhance and refine our understanding of submerged paleocultural landscape distribution on the Atlantic OCS, especially landscapes of tribal significance.

Geophysical Mapping and Identification of Paleolandscapes and Historic Shipwrecks Offshore South Carolina

• A systematic geophysical survey of two areas offshore of South Carolina to assess geoarchaeological potential of prehistoric habitation at select sites and to provide baseline information concerning the potential to identify prehistoric and relict landforms, historic shipwrecks and objects and hazardous materials lying on the SC-OCS.

Maritime Cultural Resources Site Assessment in the Main Hawaiian Islands

• Baseline study of historic and cultural properties and potential properties, develop a digital database of known and reported submerged cultural resources, compile ethnographic interviews from Native Hawaiians, and develop a digital database of historic properties and property types within the region of the main Hawaiian Islands.

Environmental Fates and Effects

EMF (Electromagnetic Field) Impacts on Elasmobranch (sharks, rays and skates) and American Lobster Movement and Migration

• Determine the actual electromagnetic fields (EMF) from direct current (DC) cables associated with offshore wind farms and any response by sensitive receptor organisms including the American Lobster and elasmobranch species (skates, etc.).

Real-time Opportunity for Development Environmental Observations (RODEO)

• Acquire real-time observations of the construction and initial operation of wind facilities to aid the evaluation of environmental effects of future facilities.

Understanding and Mitigating the Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Technologies on the Coastal and Marine Environment in the Pacific OCS Region

• Research, observe, sample, and/or monitor offshore renewable energy applications and technologies in the Pacific Region to determine potential environmental effects on the coastal and marine environment.

Using Ongoing Activities as Surrogates to Predict Potential Ecological Impacts from Marine Renewable Energy

• Identify and analyze available data from ongoing projects or activities (surrogates) with stressors and receptors similar to those expected from marine renewable energy projects.

Environmental Mapping

A Marine Biogeographic Assessment of the Main Hawaiian Islands

• Broad-based characterization of the physical and biological environments (e.g., oceanography and benthic habitats) that structure the spatial and temporal distribution of living marine resources off the coast of the main Hawaiian Islands.

California Current Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey and Use of Data to Produce and Validate Cetacean and Seabird Density Maps

• Observe whales and seabirds and use to validate modeled seabird and whale distribution maps.

Comprehensive Seafloor Substrate Mapping and Model Validation in the Atlantic

• Use field observations to calibrate and validate modeling of seafloor structure.

Oregon OCS Seafloor Mapping: Selected Lease Blocks Relevant to Renewable Energy

• Collect high-resolution bathymetry of a portion of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Oregon in order to provide data to develop comprehensive digital elevation models, habitat maps, and geologic maps, which are needed to address important issues associated with marine spatial planning, ecosystem assessments, geohazards, and offshore infrastructure.

Environmental Monitoring

DOI Partnership: Distinguishing Between Human and Natural Causes of Change in Nearshore Ecosystems Using Long-term Data from DOI Monitoring Programs

• Understand the natural range and sources of variability in the kelp forest ecosystem well enough to generate predictions on how it will respond to environmental change and enable scientists and managers to evaluate possible impacts from offshore oil and gas and alternative energy production, and develop options to mitigate these impacts.

Synopsis of Research Programs that can Provide Baseline and Monitoring Information for Offshore Energy Activities in the Pacific Region

• Evaluate the information needed to support environmental risk assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, and other decision documents related to ongoing and foreseeable offshore energy projects in the Pacific Region.

Fish and Fisheries

Atlantic Fish Telemetry: Monitoring Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon and Commercial Finfish Habitat Use Offshore New York

• Use tags and receivers to track the movements of sturgeon and other fish in the New York Wind Energy Area.

Fishery Physical Habitat and Epibenthic Invertebrate Baseline Data Collection

• Establish baseline benthic habitat characteristics at regional/WEA scales. This data would allow for improved siting, impact assessments, and provide a baseline to evaluate project-scale habitat surveys submitted by lessees.

Movement and Habitat Selection by Migratory Fishes within the Maryland Wind Energy Area and Adjacent Sites

• Use telemetry to monitor movements of tagged fish in the Maryland Wind Energy Area

Occurrence of Commercially Important and Endangered Fishes in Delaware Wind Energy Area using Acoustic Telemetry

• Use acoustic telemetry to track movements and use of the Delaware Wind Energy Area

Potential Impacts of Submarine Power Cables on Crab Harvest

• Determine if rock crab and dungeness crab will traverse energized power cables.

Socio-Economic Impact of OCS Wind Development on Fishing

• Assess the potential socio-economic burdens or benefits from offshore wind development to commercial fishing along the Atlantic coast.

Marine Mammals and Other Protected Species

Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS I)

• Improve the knowledge base of Federal agencies with living marine resource responsibilities through improved surveys of marine mammals, sea turtles, and avian species.

Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species II

• Continuation of the Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS) which focuses on collecting seasonal data on the abundance, distribution, and behavior of marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds throughout the U.S. Atlantic.

Determining Offshore Use by Marine Mammals and Ambient Noise Levels Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring

• Provide an assessment of the species composition and geographic distributions of marine mammals present in the vicinity of the Maryland WEA and to provide a baseline of ambient underwater noise through the use of passive acoustic monitoring.

Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon Habitat Use in Mid-Atlantic Wind Energy Area

• Provide information on the seasonal patterns of occurrence and habitat use as well as explore the underlying causal mechanisms for Atlantic sturgeon habitat selection in and around the Virginia WEA and the Sandbridge Shoal sand borrow site in BOEM’s Mid-Atlantic Planning Area.

Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys off the Northern California, Oregon, and Washington Coasts

• Provide up-to-date information on species composition, distribution, abundance, seasonal variation, and habitat utilization of marine mammals and seabirds along selected locations along the Pacific coast.

Southern Sea Otter Range Expansion and Habitat Use and Interaction with Manmade Structures

• Understand where and how southern sea otters are using habitat near oil and gas facilities in order to calculate risks to otters in environmental analysis of ongoing OCS activities including renewable energy development.

Understanding Whale Presence in the Virginia Offshore Wind Energy Area using Passive Acoustic

• Continue and expand the deployment of a passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) array in the wind energy area (WEA) located off the Virginia coast to describe marine mammal presence, distribution and seasonality within the WEA.

Physical Environment

Predicting the Consequences of Wave Energy Absorption from Marine Renewable Energy Facilities on Nearshore Ecosystems

• Develop a statistical model that predicts the potential effects of wave energy absorption from marine renewable energy facilities on nearshore ecosystems.

Social, Economic and Cultural Resources

Archaeological Scientific and Technical Services in Support of Renewable Energy Development

• Verifying archaeological sites identified in geophysical surveys conducted in wind energy are as along the Atlantic.

Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Development: Public Attitudes, Values, and Implications for Recreation and Tourism

• Regional-level analysis of effects on tourism and recreation to support the preparation of environmental compliance documents related to offshore wind energy development and leasing.

Quantitative Assessment of Spatially-Explicit Social Values

• Collection of spatially-explicit, value orientation data that is relevant to areas planned for renewable energy development.

Studies Toward Fulfillment of the OCS Lands Act Offshore North Carolina: Stakeholder use and Essential Fish Habitat in Wind Energy Call Areas

• Identification of fishing locations through stakeholder outreach and field evaluation of hard grounds and shipwrecks

Workshops and Literature Synthesis

Proposed Research Related to Technical Approaches for Environmental Review for Offshore Wind Energy Facilities

• Efforts to improve approaches to preparing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents.