On May 3, Drs. Rodney Cluck and Brad Blythe of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Environmental Studies Program (BOEM ESP) presented examples of collaborations with NOAA and other federal agencies during the NOS Seminar Series.

One of the most highest-attended seminars, it highlighted two recent projects with the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science - spatial statistical models of seabirds that have helped inform wind energy planning in the Mid-Atlantic, and ecosystem monitoring efforts at the Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

The BOEM ESP conducts science to guide decisions on leasing the 1.7 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for energy development. These environmental studies cover a broad range of disciplines, including physical oceanography, submerged cultural resources and the environmental impacts of energy development.

BOEM incorporates findings from the studies program into its environmental reviews and National Environmental Policy Act documents, which are used to determine steps to avoid, mitigate, or monitor the impact of energy and mineral resource development on the OCS.

For more information on NCCOS' work with BOEM, contact Chris.Caldow@noaa.gov.