Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California

Reeb, D.; Schroeder, D. (2022). Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California. Report by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Report for National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

@techreport{Reeb-2022-2080746,
author = {Reeb, D and Schroeder, D},
title = {Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California},
institution = {Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)},
year = {2022},
month = {jul},
address = {Camarillo, CA, USA},
url = {https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/Final%20CA%20Ren%20lease%20issuance%20BA_EFH_07222022_Clean_508%20compliant%20Final.pdf},
keywords = {Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles, Sea Turtles},
}

Export Citation to BibTex

TY - RPRT
TI - Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California
AU - Reeb, D
AU - Schroeder, D
AB - The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is proposing to issue up to five (5) leases within the Morro Bay and Humboldt WEAs (for a total of up to five leases for both WEAs) and grant rights of way (ROWs) and rights of use and easements (RUEs) in support of wind energy development offshore Central and Northern California. BOEM anticipates that site characterization will employ high-resolution geophysical (HRG) surveys that would be conducted using the following equipment: swath bathymetry system, magnetometer/gradiometer, side-scan sonar, and shallow and medium (seismic) sub-bottom profiler systems. This equipment does not come in contact with the seafloor and is typically towed from a moving survey vessel that does not require anchoring. Geotechnical testing or sampling involves seafloor disturbing activities. Geotechnical investigation may include the use of gravity cores, piston cores, vibracores, deep borings, and cone penetration tests (CPT), among others. Site characterization will inform site assessment plans (SAPs) which are required to deploy and decommission metocean buoys. The proposed Federal action includes project design criteria (PDC) and best management practices (BMPs) for any activities that BOEM has concluded in this BA to have a potentially adverse effect on protected species. BOEM derived these BMPs based on relevant experience on the Pacific OCS, as well as through co-ordination with NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office on SAPs submitted to BOEM for the Atlantic OCS. BOEM will implement BMPs through issuance of leases and review of proposed plans through standard operating conditions (SOCs).In Part II of this document, the Biological Assessment (BA) is focused on federally listed threatened and endangered species that may occur in the project area and potential effects from the proposed site characterization surveys and site assessment activities in and around the Humboldt and Morro Bay WEAs. National Marine Fisheries Office of Protected Resources in Long Beach, CA provided technical input on the species list presented in this biological assessment. Part III of this document contains an Essential Fish Habitat Assessment (EFHA) for all federal fishery management plans under the Pacific Fishery Management Council. This BA and EFHA are consistent with the revised Guidance for Combining EFH Consultations with ESA Section 7 Consultations (Guidance) within NMFS Policy Directive 03-201-05. Accordingly, pursuant to 50 CFR § 920(f)(3), NMFS finds that BOEM Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12, formerly known as the Pacific Region, procedures for ESA consultations can be used to satisfy the EFH consultation requirements of section 305(b)(2) and 305(b)(4) of the MSA (Rumsey 2022).
CY - Camarillo, CA, USA
DA - 2022/07//
PY - 2022
SP - 119
PB - Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
UR - https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/Final%20CA%20Ren%20lease%20issuance%20BA_EFH_07222022_Clean_508%20compliant%20Final.pdf
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Entanglement
KW - Habitat Change
KW - Noise
KW - Vessel Strike
KW - Fish
KW - Marine Mammals
KW - Cetaceans
KW - Pinnipeds
KW - Reptiles
KW - Sea Turtles
ER -

Export Citation to RIS

Abstract

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is proposing to issue up to five (5) leases within the Morro Bay and Humboldt WEAs (for a total of up to five leases for both WEAs) and grant rights of way (ROWs) and rights of use and easements (RUEs) in support of wind energy development offshore Central and Northern California. BOEM anticipates that site characterization will employ high-resolution geophysical (HRG) surveys that would be conducted using the following equipment: swath bathymetry system, magnetometer/gradiometer, side-scan sonar, and shallow and medium (seismic) sub-bottom profiler systems. This equipment does not come in contact with the seafloor and is typically towed from a moving survey vessel that does not require anchoring. Geotechnical testing or sampling involves seafloor disturbing activities. Geotechnical investigation may include the use of gravity cores, piston cores, vibracores, deep borings, and cone penetration tests (CPT), among others. Site characterization will inform site assessment plans (SAPs) which are required to deploy and decommission metocean buoys. The proposed Federal action includes project design criteria (PDC) and best management practices (BMPs) for any activities that BOEM has concluded in this BA to have a potentially adverse effect on protected species. BOEM derived these BMPs based on relevant experience on the Pacific OCS, as well as through co-ordination with NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Office on SAPs submitted to BOEM for the Atlantic OCS. BOEM will implement BMPs through issuance of leases and review of proposed plans through standard operating conditions (SOCs).

In Part II of this document, the Biological Assessment (BA) is focused on federally listed threatened and endangered species that may occur in the project area and potential effects from the proposed site characterization surveys and site assessment activities in and around the Humboldt and Morro Bay WEAs. National Marine Fisheries Office of Protected Resources in Long Beach, CA provided technical input on the species list presented in this biological assessment. Part III of this document contains an Essential Fish Habitat Assessment (EFHA) for all federal fishery management plans under the Pacific Fishery Management Council. This BA and EFHA are consistent with the revised Guidance for Combining EFH Consultations with ESA Section 7 Consultations (Guidance) within NMFS Policy Directive 03-201-05. Accordingly, pursuant to 50 CFR § 920(f)(3), NMFS finds that BOEM Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12, formerly known as the Pacific Region, procedures for ESA consultations can be used to satisfy the EFH consultation requirements of section 305(b)(2) and 305(b)(4) of the MSA (Rumsey 2022).