State-of-the-Art Practices to Study Atlantic Ocean Habitats

Off the United States’ Atlantic coastline, commercial development for offshore wind energy farms is advancing. To date, four such facilities have been constructed, with full or partial operation so far — Block Island Wind Farm, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm, South Fork Wind Farm, and Vineyard Wind 1. These facilities generate enough power to serve hundreds of thousands of households.

Working in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), we are leading the way in developing and implementing state-of-the-art environmental monitoring protocols. The team gathers real-time data to assess the potential impacts associated with the construction and operation of these commercial offshore wind farms.

HDR has been the prime contractor for BOEM on the Real-Time Opportunity for Development Environmental Observations (RODEO) Program since its inception in 2015. Our RODEO implementation team includes nationally and internationally recognised scientists and technical experts from premier research institutions in the U.S. The team has pioneered protocols and equipment, including remotely operated vessels, to gather data on potential noise propagation, alterations in ocean floor characteristics, benthic community abundance and diversity, and turbine foundation biofouling as a result of the wind farm construction and operation. 

For each type of monitoring, the team develops a customised, site-specific work plan for input and concurrence by BOEM technical staff. Field monitoring is conducted in compliance with a site-specific health and safety plan. Data is analysed using advanced techniques, and results and recommendations are presented to BOEM in high-quality technical reports. These deliverables serve as templates for environmental monitoring conducted at future offshore facilities. 

Insights gained from the data collection analyses are also used to help identify, reduce and mitigate environmental risks in the future, significantly increasing the efficiency and efficacy of BOEM’s regulatory review process for offshore wind development in the U.S.