Abstract
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) requires an applicant to submit a Site Assessment Plan (SAP), Construction and Operations Plan (COP), or General Activities Plan (GAP), as applicable, for review prior to the approval of any renewable energy facility, structure, or cable proposed on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in accordance with 30 CFR part 585, subpart F. BOEM regulations require an applicant to include the results of site characterization surveys, with supporting data, as part of a plan.
BOEM uses the results of site characterization studies submitted with a plan to evaluate the impact of proposed activities on physical, biological, and socioeconomic resources, as well as the seafloor and sub-seafloor conditions that could affect the construction, installation, and operation of an offshore renewable energy facility.
- BOEM has provided recommendations for conducting and reporting the results of baseline collection studies to support the acquisition of site characterization data, in separate guidelines. These guidelines are: Guidelines for Providing Avian Survey Information for Renewable Energy Development on the OCS;
- Guidelines for Providing Geophysical, Geotechnical and Geohazard Information;
- Guidelines for Providing Archaeological and Historic Property Information; 2
- Guidelines for Providing Information on Fisheries for Renewable Energy Development on the Atlantic OCS;
- Guidelines for Providing Benthic Habitat Survey Information for Renewable Energy Development on the Atlantic OCS; and
- Guidelines for Providing Information on Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles for Renewable Energy Development on the Atlantic OCS.
These guidelines may be updated periodically, and a new version will supersede previous versions.
The above guidelines can be found at https://www.boem.gov/guidance.
The purpose of this document is to provide a general framework for the submission of spatial data from the site characterization surveys. They are intended to supplement the above listed guidelines by standardizing the data submission format. The collection of data related to site characterization activities includes geological, geotechnical, shallow hazards, archaeological, benthic habitat, and biological surveys. In an effort to minimize the submission of duplicative and redundant data collected during survey activities, BOEM prefers to receive one standardized dataset. BOEM recognizes, however, that in some cases the submission of multiple datasets is necessary or unavoidable; this will not preclude BOEM’s consideration of plans. Any questions about these guidelines may be addressed on a case-by-case basis during pre-survey meetings as recommended in each of the survey guidelines.