1. COSA Committee Meeting
June 22, 2017
Jeremy Potter
Chief, Environmental Sciences Section
Pacific Region

2. Pacific Overview CA, OR, WA, HI 29 people in Camarillo
FY17 ~$4.5M for studies
Activities
Conventional
Renewable
Marine Minerals

3. Pacific Overview CA, OR, WA, HI 29 people in Camarillo
FY17 ~$4.5M for studies
Activities
Conventional
Renewable
Marine Minerals

4. Pacific Overview CA, OR, WA, HI 29 people in Camarillo
FY17 ~$4.5M for studies
Activities
Conventional
Renewable
Marine Minerals
Wind - There are currently no operational floating wind farms in the U.S., floating wind farms have been running in Europe since 1991
HI – 3 submissions of interest in response to June 2016 call for information and nominations (AW Hawaii Wind, LLC – Oahu North and Oahu South: 1/2015), (Progression Hawaii Offshore Wind, Inc – part of Oahu South: 10/2015); (Statoil Wind US, LLC – entire Oahu call area). BOEM is now in the Area Identification stage of the leasing process, during which BOEM will identify areas for environmental analysis and consideration for leasing. 
CA – Trident Winds unsolicited lease request January In response to August 2016 request for interest, Statoil Wind US nominated the same area. BOEM is currently working with the State of California on planning for potential leasing for offshore wind in federal waters off California
OR – WindFloat no longer in process
Wave (MHK)
OR - Pacific Marine Energy Center – South Energy Test Site (PMEC-SETS) Research Facility Project was proposed by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC-OSU) at Oregon State University in June The proposed research lease request is approximately 5 nautical miles offshore Newport, Oregon with an area of approximately 33 square miles. The project would consist of four test locations, or ‘berths’ , to demonstrate the viability of wave energy off the U.S. by providing a grid-connected ocean test facility for prototype and utility scale wave energy devices.
Marine minerals are not currently being extracted from the Pacific Region, although the State of California has expressed interest in offshore sand resources for remedial nourishment of severely eroded coastal beaches

5. Santa Barbara Channel 155 km between Long Beach and Santa Barbara
275 km between furthest platforms
23 offshore platforms in Federal waters
installed between 1968 and 1989
in water depths ranging between ~ 29 and 365 m (96 and 1,197 ft)
~ 30% are in water depths exceeding any decommissioning projects in the world

6. Santa Barbara Channel CINP is 1010 sq km (390 sq miles)
5 of the 8 Channel Islands extends to 1.8 km or 1nm offshore
Designated National Monument in 1938, National Biosphere Reserve in 1976, National Park in 1980

7. Santa Barbara Channel CINMS – designated in 1980.
3807 sq km (1470 sq miles) surrounding 5 of the Channel Islands
Mean high water line to approx 6 nm offshore

8. Santa Barbara Channel

9. Santa Barbara Channel

10. Santa Barbara Channel
Decommissioning discussions have come in waves. . Cresting again

11. Near-Term Regional Priorities
Advance offshore renewable energy
Prepare for potential decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure
Ensure data and information are useful and available to agency, our partners, and the public
7 would inform multiple programs

12. Pacific Information Needs
Conventional energy (10) – status/trends environmental conditions and human uses; potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of decommissioning
Renewable energy (11) – baseline environmental conditions and human uses; potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of renewable energy development. Effectiveness of lease stipulations and mitigation measures.
Marine Minerals (2) – Baseline environmental conditions and human uses; potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of marine mining activities on the OCS
14 total studies proposed. 7 would inform multiple programs
Conventional:
Status and trends of environmental conditions and human uses within the Southern California Planning Area related to understanding cumulative impacts to affected resources and assessing effectiveness of lease stipulations and mitigation measures.
Environmental and socioeconomic impacts of ongoing oil and gas activities.
Potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure
Renewable:
Baseline environmental conditions and human uses offshore California, Oregon, and Hawaii.
Potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of renewable energy development for floating wind, wave energy, and hybrid technologies.
Effectiveness of lease stipulations, mitigation measures and other actions in similar programs that can inform decisions related to research and commercial projects
Marine Minerals:
Baseline environmental conditions and human uses within the Southern California and Central California planning areas
Potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of marine mining activities on the OCS.
Effectiveness of lease stipulations, mitigation measures and other actions in similar programs (e.g., State waters) that can inform leasing decisions.

13. Proposed Studies Overview
7 would inform multiple programs

14. Pacific Region: Evolution and Adaptation
Geographic areas of activity and study
Emphasis of research disciplines
Shift from frontier to mature oil and gas producing area
Inclusion of frontier area for renewable energy offshore CA, OR, HI
Interest in marine sand resources off CA
Over its forty-four year history the program has evolved in response to (1) change in the geographic areas of activity and study, (2) change in the emphasis of disciplines highlighted for research, (3) change in the status of the Southern California Planning Area from a frontier to a mature oil and gas producing area (and a corresponding shift from pre-lease to post-lease information needs), (4) change to include frontier areas for renewable energy development offshore California, Oregon, and Hawaii, and (5) recent interest in marine sand resources offshore California.