The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) effort is actively compiling information on planned, ongoing, and recently completed research projects relevant to better understanding the environmental effects of offshore wind development along the U.S. Pacific Coast (California, Oregon, Washington). The scope of projects includes both field research/data collection and other non-field activities related to wildlife, habitat, and ecosystem processes.
The tool below provides key project details and links to relevant project outputs, including reports, journal articles, and datasets. Results can be refined by selecting from the drop-down menus or entering a search term. If you would like to submit a project for inclusion, please complete this survey or email tethys@pnnl.gov.
Download the complete tool as a spreadsheet here.
Last Updated: January 31, 2024
Research Project | Lead Organization | Dates Sort descending | Research Type | Scale & Location | Stressor & Receptor | Outputs |
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Distance-Based Sampling Methods for Assessing the Ecological Effects of Offshore Wind Farms: Synthesis and Application to Fisheries Resource Studies
This paper aims to: examine distance-based sampling methods that have been or could potentially be used to study impacts on fisheries resources at offshore wind farms including distance-stratified BACI, distance-stratified CI, Before-After-Gradient (BAG), and After-Gradient (AG) methods; (...Read more This paper aims to: examine distance-based sampling methods that have been or could potentially be used to study impacts on fisheries resources at offshore wind farms including distance-stratified BACI, distance-stratified CI, Before-After-Gradient (BAG), and After-Gradient (AG) methods; ( synthesize the methods and findings of studies conducted to date that have used distance-based methods to examine ecological impacts of offshore wind development for benthic macroinvertebrates, finfish, birds, and small mammals; examine some of the central methodological elements and issues to consider in developing distance-based impact studies; and offer recommendations for how to incorporate distance-based sampling methods into monitoring plans at offshore wind farms. Read less |
IBSS Corporation | 2021-2021 | Literature Review | National |
Habitat Change Marine mammals, Fish |
Methratta 2021 |
A Vulnerability Index to Scale Effects of Offshore Renewable Energy on Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles of the U.S. West Coast (VIMMS)
This study by Southall Environmental Associates (SEA), Inc. developed a vulnerability index based on the best available data and expert elicitation for marine mammals and sea turtles that occur offshore central and northern California, Oregon, and Washington....Read more This study by Southall Environmental Associates (SEA), Inc. developed a vulnerability index based on the best available data and expert elicitation for marine mammals and sea turtles that occur offshore central and northern California, Oregon, and Washington. This index will assist in scaling the effects and prioritizing which of these species need to be considered in assessments of risk from offshore renewable energy infrastructure. It developed a visual representation of the levels of concern for relevant species or species groups, which will also inform the selection of renewable energy sites. Read less |
Southall Environmental Associates, Inc. | 2021-2023 | Modeling | Regional Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington |
Baseline Marine mammals, Sea turtles |
Southall et al. 2023 |
Updating the Marine Bird Vulnerability Index to Inform Risks of Offshore Renewable Energy Projects Within the Pacific OCS Region
This study is developing an update to the 2012-2017 BOEM-funded study by USGS, "Developing and Applying a Vulnerability Index for Scaling the Possible Adverse Effects of Offshore Renewable Energy Projects on Seabirds of the Pacific OCS."....Read more This study is developing an update to the 2012-2017 BOEM-funded study by USGS, "Developing and Applying a Vulnerability Index for Scaling the Possible Adverse Effects of Offshore Renewable Energy Projects on Seabirds of the Pacific OCS.". The update will incorporate recently published data and methodological improvements. Read less |
University of California Santa Cruz | 2021-2024 | Modeling | Regional California, Oregon, Washington |
Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds |
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The Environmental Status of Artificial Structures Offshore California
This study by the Southern California Marine Institute will use relevant ecological indicators (e.g., biodiversity, biomass, productivity) to improve understanding of how local and/or regional factors influence the variation in environmental status observed in marine infrastructure/facility...Read more This study by the Southern California Marine Institute will use relevant ecological indicators (e.g., biodiversity, biomass, productivity) to improve understanding of how local and/or regional factors influence the variation in environmental status observed in marine infrastructure/facility/obstruction habitats within the Pacific Region, especially offshore California. Study results will assist BOEM in evaluating proposed plans that involve significant amounts of marine infrastructure (which function as de facto artificial reefs) and to gain insight in determining if existing energy infrastructure affects other uses of the outer continental shelf. Read less |
Southern California Marine Institute | 2021-2024 | Field | State California |
Habitat Change Physical Environment |
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Birds, Bats, and Beyond: Networked Wildlife Tracking along the Pacific Coast of the U.S.
This study aims to (1) Expand Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) and related (e.g., CTT) tracking capabilities along the U.S....Read more This study aims to (1) Expand Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) and related (e.g., CTT) tracking capabilities along the U.S. Pacific Coast; (2) Support data‐collection efforts on the timing and scale of movements for shorebirds, marine birds, migratory bats, and other taxa in relation to offshore energy and other coastal development projects; and (3) Foster collaboration with a variety of partners to enhance a tracking network in the Pacific Region. Read less |
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | 2022-2026 | Field | Regional California |
Baseline Bats, Birds |
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Ancient Landforms off the Washington Coast
This study will build on similar efforts to more fully understand inundation processes along the U.S....Read more This study will build on similar efforts to more fully understand inundation processes along the U.S. West Coast by synthesizing geological, geophysical, and environmental data from offshore Washington and integrate that information with Tribal oral histories and traditional knowledge to further refine the model for identifying intact submerged landform potential off the Pacific Coast. Read less |
Oregon State University | 2022-2025 | Field, Modeling | State Washington |
Baseline Physical Environment |
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Blue Whale Observatory
Exploring the behavioral ecology of Earth's largest animal species - the blue whale - and the krill that sustain them. |
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) | 2022- | Field | State California |
Baseline Marine mammals |
Oestreich et al. 2022 |
Update on NREL’s 2020 Offshore Wind Resource Assessment for the California Pacific Outer Continental Shelf
This project provides a time-sensitive update to the 20-year wind resource data set (named “CA20”) produced in 2020 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California....Read more This project provides a time-sensitive update to the 20-year wind resource data set (named “CA20”) produced in 2020 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California. Following the deployment of two floating lidars in the region in late 2020, NREL compared the CA20-modeled wind speeds against the lidar measurements using two different approaches, and found a significant bias in the modeled CA20 data in the region. An updated data set has been released. Read less |
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) | 2022-2023 | Modeling | Regional California |
Baseline Physical Environment |
Bodini et al. 2022 |
Floating Offshore Wind: Benefits & Challenges for Oregon
Pursuant to Oregon House Bill 3375, Oregon Department of Energy developed a legislative report to identify the benefits and challenges of integrating up to 3 GW of floating offshore wind by 2030. |
Oregon Department of Energy | 2022-2022 | Literature Review | State Oregon |
Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, Electromagnetic Fields, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine mammals, Physical Environment, Sea turtles |
Oregon Department of Energy 2022 |
Offshore Biological Radar Project
The project goal is to develop a radar system that can be deployed from a buoy to measure bird and bat abundances and behaviors at offshore locations. |
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) | 2022-2027 | Technology Development | Project |
Baseline Bats, Birds |
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Cost-Effective Environmental Monitoring of Offshore Wind Installations with Automated Marine Robotics
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will develop next-generation autonomous robotic technology for environmental monitoring of marine organisms and the seafloor at potential wind energy development areas on the West Coast....Read more Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will develop next-generation autonomous robotic technology for environmental monitoring of marine organisms and the seafloor at potential wind energy development areas on the West Coast. The proposed robotic observation technology will be able to collect baseline data as well as provide understanding of changes to bathymetric/geologic structure, and marine communities, including invertebrates, fish, birds, and marine mammals. Read less |
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) | 2022-2025 | Technology Development | Regional |
Baseline Birds, Ecosystem processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine mammals, Physical Environment |
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Tag You’re It! Habitat Use of Large Whales of the Santa Barbara Channel and Hawai‘i
The purpose of this study is to use existing telemetry data to gain a better understanding of how four large whale species (fin, blue, humpback, and gray whales) that occur off the U.S West Coast use their habitat in the Santa Barbara Channel area and in areas offshore Hawai’i, with specific...Read more The purpose of this study is to use existing telemetry data to gain a better understanding of how four large whale species (fin, blue, humpback, and gray whales) that occur off the U.S West Coast use their habitat in the Santa Barbara Channel area and in areas offshore Hawai’i, with specific interest around the island of O’ahu. The importance of this data, presented as spatially and temporally explicit layers, cannot be overstated when considering offshore floating wind development and the identification of potential mitigative strategies to minimize any potential impacts to these species as a result of these activities, as well as the timing of future conventional energy decommissioning activities. Read less |
Oregon State University | 2022-2024 | Modeling | Regional California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington |
Baseline, Habitat Change Marine mammals, Ecosystem processes |
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The Effects of EMFs on the Behavior of Marine Wildlife
Elasmobranchs use electroreceptors to detect bioelectric fields of prey during foraging and likely use them to indirectly detect geomagnetic field (GMF) cues during navigation....Read more Elasmobranchs use electroreceptors to detect bioelectric fields of prey during foraging and likely use them to indirectly detect geomagnetic field (GMF) cues during navigation. The subsea high voltage cables from offshore renewable energy (ORE) infrastructure emit electromagnetic field (EMF) noise that can alter the bioelectric and geomagnetic landscape, which may impair electrically and magnetically mediated behaviors, such as foraging and navigation, in marine wildlife. In Partnership with Oregon Sea Grant, using Longnose skates and Dungeness crab we are developing controlled laboratory validated protocols to fill our knowledge gaps on the acute and cumulative impacts that EMF noise has on the sensory biology, behavioral ecology, movement, and distribution of multiple EMF sensitive species. Read less |
Oregon State University | 2022-2024 | Electromagnetic Fields Fish |
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Baseline Data Collection on Cetaceans and Seabirds in the Outer Continental Shelf and Slope of Northern California and Oregon to Inform Offshore Wind Energy Development
Oregon State University will conduct visual surveys and acoustic monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds to develop predictive density maps of species present in potential wind energy development areas on the West Coast....Read more Oregon State University will conduct visual surveys and acoustic monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds to develop predictive density maps of species present in potential wind energy development areas on the West Coast. Data would be used to provide spatially and temporally explicit species-specific distribution and density maps and models for cetaceans and seabirds in the shelf-slope waters of the northern California Current which would be used to inform siting of offshore wind platforms. Read less |
Oregon State University | 2022-2026 | Field | Regional California, Oregon |
Baseline Birds, Marine mammals |
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Integrated Monitoring and Mitigation Approach to Reduce Entanglement Hazards for Floating Offshore Wind Developments
Develop an environmental monitoring sensor package....Read more Develop an environmental monitoring sensor package. The monitoring sensor package will be able to detect debris entanglements with underwater mooring lines, transmit relevant information about the location of the entanglement, and deploy a remotely operated vehicle to inspect, identify, and characterize entangled debris. Read less |
Schatz Energy Research Center | 2023-2027 | Technology Development | Project California, Oregon, Washington |
Entanglement Marine mammals |
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Monitoring of Marine Life During Offshore Wind Energy Development—Guidelines and Recommendations
This document represents a concise guide to the science-based principles and priorities for environmental monitoring that the environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) community considers to be crucial to the advancement of responsible offshore wind development in the United States....Read more This document represents a concise guide to the science-based principles and priorities for environmental monitoring that the environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) community considers to be crucial to the advancement of responsible offshore wind development in the United States. Environmental monitoring is rooted in common scientific principles; however, every geography will have a unique set of priorities and considerations that are not necessarily transferable across regions. To bridge this gap, this document first provides guidance on the scientific principles that underpin ecosystem-based monitoring efforts, presents monitoring priorities common to all regions, and then presents considerations and monitoring recommendations specific to individual regions. Read less |
Natural Resources Defense Council | 2023-2023 | Literature Review | Regional California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington |
Electromagnetic Fields Bats, Birds, Ecosystem processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine mammals, Physical Environment, Sea turtles |
Kershaw et al. 2023 |
Establishing Baseline Data on Bat Activity in the Offshore Environment: Developing Tools and Models to Quantify Risk of Offshore Wind Energy Development
This study will help prepare the West Coast for floating offshore wind development by collecting bat distribution data and developing tools to monitor the environmental effects of floating offshore wind energy....Read more This study will help prepare the West Coast for floating offshore wind development by collecting bat distribution data and developing tools to monitor the environmental effects of floating offshore wind energy. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will conduct bat acoustic monitoring at fixed and mobile sites along the West Coast. The goal is to better understand the environmental conditions likely to attract bat activity, with a focus on potential wind energy development areas. Read less |
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) | 2023-2024 | Field | State California |
Attraction Bats |
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Integrated Monitoring of Cetacean and Ocean Environmental Impacts from Floating Offshore Wind Development on the Pacific Coast
Develop and validate an integrated, real-time monitoring system to concurrently monitor marine mammal and ocean environmental impacts from floating offshore wind turbines....Read more Develop and validate an integrated, real-time monitoring system to concurrently monitor marine mammal and ocean environmental impacts from floating offshore wind turbines. This project will help reduce costs, increase resiliency, and increase knowledge of potential wildlife impacts in marine waters offshore California. Read less |
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | 2023-2027 | Technology Development | Project California, Oregon, Washington |
Attraction, Avoidance, Displacement, Changes in Flow Marine mammals, Physical Environment |
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Characterization of the Distribution, Movements, and Foraging Habitat of Endangered Leatherback Turtles in Designated Critical Habitat off the U.S. West Coast
This study will characterize the distribution, movements, and foraging habitat of endangered leatherback turtles in designated Critical Habitat offshore northern California, Oregon, and Washington....Read more This study will characterize the distribution, movements, and foraging habitat of endangered leatherback turtles in designated Critical Habitat offshore northern California, Oregon, and Washington. The data will form the baseline of comparison to understand potential impacts from offshore renewable energy development offshore Oregon and Washington. (NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center) Read less |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); UpWell Turtles | 2023-2028 | Field | Regional California, Oregon, Washington |
Baseline Sea turtles |
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Integrated, Real-Time, Multi-Scale System for Monitoring Seabird Interactions with Floating Offshore Wind Technologies
Develop and validate an integrated, real-time, multi-scale system to monitor seabird and bat interactions with floating offshore wind turbines....Read more Develop and validate an integrated, real-time, multi-scale system to monitor seabird and bat interactions with floating offshore wind turbines. This project will help minimize non-technical risks associated with environmental permitting and increase knowledge of potential wildlife impacts in marine waters offshore California. Read less |
Integral Consulting Inc. | 2023-2027 | Technology Development | Project California, Oregon, Washington |
Collision Birds, Bats |