Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Studies in Atmospheric and Oceanographic Sciences in Support of Offshore Energy Development

The Mission of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is to manage the development of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) energy and mineral resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way. BOEM’s research mandate under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act is fundamentally to assess and understand how the Bureau’s decision-making impacts the environment and how those impacts can be avoided or minimized. BOEM accomplishes this by recognizing that its decisions and policies contribute to the definition of the regional socio-ecological systems that it stewards. The Environmental Studies Program, together with environmental assessment and regulation, constitute BOEM’s environmental program and ensure that environmental protection is a foremost concern and an indispensable requirement in BOEM’s decision making. The bureau's core values are responsible stewardship, decisions informed by science, and a commitment to integrity and ethics in all activities.

In the development of offshore wind energy, BOEM not only assesses the available wind resource, but also looks at physical components of the environment that could impact or be impacted by proposed activities. BOEM decides where to invest funds for additional study based on the results of public and stakeholder engagement, environmental reviews, consultations, and from the annual solicitation for study ideas. The Environmental Studies Plan, updated annually, tries to identify needs for key topic areas. From 2012 - 2018, approximately 13% of study funding went towards physical oceanography and air quality. Many of BOEM’s projects involve partnerships between state entities (including universities) and federal research agencies. BOEM has partnered with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to select and fund appropriate Renewable Energy Research to facilitate industry development, and to support research in operational safety and pollution prevention related to offshore renewable energy development through the Technology Assessment Program. Between 2012 and 2018 44% of funds went to Federal agencies, 26% to academic institutions, 26% to private organizations, 3% to State government agencies and 1% to other researchers.

This poster provides an overview of the millions of dollars BOEM has invested toward funding studies in atmospheric and oceanographic sciences in support of offshore energy development.