Pacific Coast Offshore Wind Environmental Research Project Finder

This paper aims to: examine distance-based sampling methods that have been or could potentially be used to study impacts on fisheries resources at offshore wind farms including distance-stratified BACI, distance-stratified CI, Before-After-Gradient (BAG), and After-Gradient (AG) methods; ( synthesize the methods and findings of studies conducted to date that have used distance-based methods to examine ecological impacts of offshore wind development for benthic macroinvertebrates, finfish, birds, and small mammals; examine some of the central methodological elements and issues to consider in developing distance-based impact studies; and offer recommendations for how to incorporate distance-based sampling methods into monitoring plans at offshore wind farms.

This study by Southall Environmental Associates (SEA), Inc. developed a vulnerability index based on the best available data and expert elicitation for marine mammals and sea turtles that occur offshore central and northern California, Oregon, and Washington. This index will assist in scaling the effects and prioritizing which of these species need to be considered in assessments of risk from offshore renewable energy infrastructure. It developed a visual representation of the levels of concern for relevant species or species groups, which will also inform the selection of renewable energy sites.

This study is developing an update to the 2012-2017 BOEM-funded study by USGS, "Developing and Applying a Vulnerability Index for Scaling the Possible Adverse Effects of Offshore Renewable Energy Projects on Seabirds of the Pacific OCS.". The update will incorporate recently published data and methodological improvements.

This study by the Southern California Marine Institute will use relevant ecological indicators (e.g., biodiversity, biomass, productivity) to improve understanding of how local and/or regional factors influence the variation in environmental status observed in marine infrastructure/facility/obstruction habitats within the Pacific Region, especially offshore California. Study results will assist BOEM in evaluating proposed plans that involve significant amounts of marine infrastructure (which function as de facto artificial reefs) and to gain insight in determining if existing energy infrastructure affects other uses of the outer continental shelf.

This project provides a time-sensitive update to the 20-year wind resource data set (named “CA20”) produced in 2020 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California. Following the deployment of two floating lidars in the region in late 2020, NREL compared the CA20-modeled wind speeds against the lidar measurements using two different approaches, and found a significant bias in the modeled CA20 data in the region. An updated data set has been released.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will develop next-generation autonomous robotic technology for environmental monitoring of marine organisms and the seafloor at potential wind energy development areas on the West Coast. The proposed robotic observation technology will be able to collect baseline data as well as provide understanding of changes to bathymetric/geologic structure, and marine communities, including invertebrates, fish, birds, and marine mammals.

The purpose of this study is to use existing telemetry data to gain a better understanding of how four large whale species (fin, blue, humpback, and gray whales) that occur off the U.S West Coast use their habitat in the Santa Barbara Channel area and in areas offshore Hawai’i, with specific interest around the island of O’ahu. The importance of this data, presented as spatially and temporally explicit layers, cannot be overstated when considering offshore floating wind development and the identification of potential mitigative strategies to minimize any potential impacts to these species as a result of these activities, as well as the timing of future conventional energy decommissioning activities.

Elasmobranchs use electroreceptors to detect bioelectric fields of prey during foraging and likely use them to indirectly detect geomagnetic field (GMF) cues during navigation. The subsea high voltage cables from offshore renewable energy (ORE) infrastructure emit electromagnetic field (EMF) noise that can alter the bioelectric and geomagnetic landscape, which may impair electrically and magnetically mediated behaviors, such as foraging and navigation, in marine wildlife. In Partnership with Oregon Sea Grant, using Longnose skates and Dungeness crab we are developing controlled laboratory validated protocols to fill our knowledge gaps on the acute and cumulative impacts that EMF noise has on the sensory biology, behavioral ecology, movement, and distribution of multiple EMF sensitive species.

Oregon State University will conduct visual surveys and acoustic monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds to develop predictive density maps of species present in potential wind energy development areas on the West Coast. Data would be used to provide spatially and temporally explicit species-specific distribution and density maps and models for cetaceans and seabirds in the shelf-slope waters of the northern California Current which would be used to inform siting of offshore wind platforms.

This study aims to (1) Expand Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) and related (e.g., CTT) tracking capabilities along the U.S. Pacific Coast; (2) Support data‐collection efforts on the timing and scale of movements for shorebirds, marine birds, migratory bats, and other taxa in relation to offshore energy and other coastal development projects; and (3) Foster collaboration with a variety of partners to enhance a tracking network in the Pacific Region.

This study will build on similar efforts to more fully understand inundation processes along the U.S. West Coast by synthesizing geological, geophysical, and environmental data from offshore Washington and integrate that information with Tribal oral histories and traditional knowledge to further refine the model for identifying intact submerged landform potential off the Pacific Coast.

Develop an environmental monitoring sensor package. The monitoring sensor package will be able to detect debris entanglements with underwater mooring lines, transmit relevant information about the location of the entanglement, and deploy a remotely operated vehicle to inspect, identify, and characterize entangled debris.

This document represents a concise guide to the science-based principles and priorities for environmental monitoring that the environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) community considers to be crucial to the advancement of responsible offshore wind development in the United States. Environmental monitoring is rooted in common scientific principles; however, every geography will have a unique set of priorities and considerations that are not necessarily transferable across regions. To bridge this gap, this document first provides guidance on the scientific principles that underpin ecosystem-based monitoring efforts, presents monitoring priorities common to all regions, and then presents considerations and monitoring recommendations specific to individual regions.

This study will help prepare the West Coast for floating offshore wind development by collecting bat distribution data and developing tools to monitor the environmental effects of floating offshore wind energy. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will conduct bat acoustic monitoring at fixed and mobile sites along the West Coast. The goal is to better understand the environmental conditions likely to attract bat activity, with a focus on potential wind energy development areas.

Develop and validate an integrated, real-time monitoring system to concurrently monitor marine mammal and ocean environmental impacts from floating offshore wind turbines. This project will help reduce costs, increase resiliency, and increase knowledge of potential wildlife impacts in marine waters offshore California.

This study will characterize the distribution, movements, and foraging habitat of endangered leatherback turtles in designated Critical Habitat offshore northern California, Oregon, and Washington. The data will form the baseline of comparison to understand potential impacts from offshore renewable energy development offshore Oregon and Washington. (NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center)

Develop and validate an integrated, real-time, multi-scale system to monitor seabird and bat interactions with floating offshore wind turbines. This project will help minimize non-technical risks associated with environmental permitting and increase knowledge of potential wildlife impacts in marine waters offshore California.