BU Joins BOEM, NOAA With Science to Support Ecosystem-Based Development on the US Outer Continental Shelf
BU JOINS BOEM, NOAA WITH SCIENCE TO SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM-BASED DEVELOPMENT ON THE US OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF
The United States has a vast, submerged outer continental shelf (OCS) that is rich in both living and non-living resources. It is used intensively for many purposes including commercial and recreational fishing, shipping, wildlife conservation, research, recreation, travel, security, and mining for minerals and fossil fuels. The OCS is also well-suited for renewable energy development within the rapidly growing sector of offshore wind (OSW). Exploring options within the OCS for energy potential and energy independence is important in today’s ever-changing global climates – both political and environmental. For these and many other reasons, the federal government is pushing to expand OSW power, with 30 gigawatts of electric power from OSW farms on the OCS by 2030.
The mission of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is to manage development of the US OCS energy and mineral resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way. This is a complex challenge, as the varied uses of the OCS often compete with one another. Broaching this challenge are professors Les Kaufman of Biology and Suchi Gopal of Earth and Environment, Co-PI’s on a Boston University-led team of scientists from East and West-coast institutions. Ethan Deyle (Biology) is also a critical team member. BU is working in collaboration with the Blue World Research Institute and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. The study is titled: Standardizing Integrated Ecosystem-Based Assessments (SIEBA). SIEBA’s purpose is to help minimize impacts (including cultural, economic, ecological, and social) from activities related to energy development on the OCS by providing ecosystem-based scientific support focused on OSW energy development. This requires a systems-level grasp of US coastal ecosystems, particularly the interplay between natural and human components. Kaufman points out that “We have been laboring for a quarter century using field work and computational modeling to explore the dynamics of humanity’s relationship with the ecological communities of oceans and great lakes. Our new project with BOEM is a fantastic opportunity to apply what we’ve learned to battling climate change and providing for our energy needs.”
The SIEBA study will help BOEM consider many ecological and economic concerns simultaneously, and how they may change over time, and make informed, science-based decisions that are equitable and transparent.
“Using an ecosystem-based management approach will help BOEM better understand the marine ecosystem and the immediate and differed future impacts of our decisions,” explains Jake Levenson, a BOEM marine biologist. “This also helps us minimize impacts and reduce the conflicts related to energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf.”
The first goal of the SIEBA study is to design a national EBM framework for BOEM’s decision-making processes. The study team will construct the framework through a series of focused, participatory workshops centered around interdisciplinary knowledge production and collaboration with an expert working group that encompasses a broad range of backgrounds and experience. A key aspect of framework-building includes considerations that have historically been excluded, including the interests of sovereign Tribes and marginalized coastal peoples. The second goal is to apply the framework in the Gulf of Maine (BOEM Atlantic Region), providing BOEM with another tool to inform the planning and leasing process for wind energy production. The third goal will be to test the framework in a second region.
At the heart of this effort is a dynamic computer model that strengthens environmental assessment, tradeoff analysis, scenario forecasting, and decision support. The study team is employing the Multiscale Integrated Model of Ecosystem Services (MIMES). MIMES was developed by Roel Boumans and adapted by for this application by Roel and the rest of our modeling team. We will use MIMES to explore the potential outcomes of planning and policy decisions related to offshore renewable energy through different ecosystem scenarios.
According to Co-PI Suchi Gopal, “the SIEBA project will give BU students a great opportunity to use geospatial data and analysis in EBM modeling. They have a front-row seat when it comes to modeling offshore wind energy, commercial fishing, and biodiversity conservation.” For example, for his undergraduate honors thesis, BUMP senior Ian Kwit is analyzing data on seabird distribution and behavior in relation to potential wind lease areas. As a nexus for thinking about earth system sustainability, the SIEBA project is also contributing to the vitality of BU’s Global Sustainability Initiative, and the work of the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future.