TY - RPRT
TI - Supporting National Environmental Policy Act Documentation for Offshore Wind Energy Development Related Offshore Aquifers
AU - Middleton, P
AU - Barnhart, B
AB - Fresh water sources submerged beneath the ocean floor have been recognized for decades; however,recent news coverage has raised the awareness of a specific aquifer offshore of the northeast Atlanticcoastline. In the last 20 to 30 years, this aquifer has been studied to gain understanding of its geologic andhydrologic composition, how it developed, how it functions in present day, and the possible use as awater source. The dissolved salt content of the aquifer has varied in reporting, but most studies describethe aquifer as having more salt than potable fresh water based on direct water sampling, requiringdesalination if the source were to be used in the future. Although a great deal has been learned about thisaquifer, much more is still to be understood and quantified.As with so many aspects of offshore wind, new questions about how turbines and related infrastructureinteract with human and natural surroundings are ongoing. This paper seeks to provide a high-leveloverview of aquifers, a description of the aquifer off the Atlantic coastline, the viability of the aquifer as awater source, and how offshore wind development may interact with the aquifer. 
DA - 2023/04//
PY - 2023
SP - 19
PB - Booz Allen Hamilton
SN - OCS Study BOEM 2023-011
UR - https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/Offshore-Aquifers-White-Paper.pdf
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Floating Offshore Wind
KW - Physical Environment
KW - Human Dimensions
ER -