1. Gulf Of Mexico Region : Strategic Science Questions
June 22, 2017
Pasquale (Pat) Roscigno, PhD
Environmental Studies Chief
Office of the Environment

2. Environmental Studies Program
Establish the information needed for assessment and management of environmental impacts
Predict impacts on the marine biota and cultural resources; and
Monitor human, marine, and coastal environments
Establish the information needed for assessment and management of environmental impacts on the human, marine, and coastal environments of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the potentially affected coastal areas
Predict impacts on the marine biota which may result from chronic, low-level pollution or large spills associated with OCS production, from drilling fluids and cuttings discharges, pipeline emplacement, or onshore facilities; and
Monitor human, marine, and coastal environments to provide time series and data trend information for identification of significant changes in the quality and productivity of these environments, and to identify the causes of these changes.
Potential impacts from renewable development that must be considered include noise from pile-driving, bird strikes and other impacts, and space-use conflicts.

3. Mississippi Delta Baseline Mudflow Hazard Map

4. GoM Profile: Evaluating Potential Mudslide
GoM Profile: Evaluating Potential Mudslide Impacts to Historic Shipwrecks

5. Socioeconomic Sciences
OCS socioeconomic study topics:
Migration patterns
Environmental justice
Individuals and families
Capitol investment
Crime
Crude Oil Price Movements
Ports
Employment
Infrastructure
Economic Change

6. GoM Profile: Socioeconomic Impacts of OCS Infrastructure: Shifts in Recreational Behaviors

7. Post – DeepWater Horizon Studies Planning
National Academy of Sciences- Gulf Research Program
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative
The RESTORE Act

8. Loop Study Dedicated Issue in: Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans
P. Hamilton, A. Lugo-Fernandez and J. Sheinbaum; A Loop Current Experiment: Field and Remote Measurements  
Donohue, K.A., Watts, D.R., Hamilton, P., Leben, R.R., Kennelly, M., Lugo-Fernandez, A.; Gulf of Mexico Loop Current Path Variability
Donohue, K.A., Watts, D.R., Hamilton, P., Leben, R.R., Kennelly, M.; Loop Current Eddy Separation and Baroclinic Instability
 J. Sheinbaum, Athie, G., J. Candela, J. Ochoa, A. Romero; Structure and variability of the Yucatan and Loop Currents along the Slope and Shelf Break of the Yucatan Channel and Campeche Bank
B. Jaimes and L.K. Shay; Observed Air-Sea Interactions in Tropical Cyclone Isaac over Loop Current Mesoscale Eddy Features
C.A. Hall and R.R. Leben; Observational Evidence of Loop Current Seasonality
A. Lugo-Fernandez, R.R. Leben and C.A. Hall; Kinematic Metrics of the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico from Satellite Altimetry
Pallas-Sanz, E., J. Candela, J. Sheinbaum, J. Ochoa; Mooring Observations of the Near-inertial Wave Wake of Hurricane Ida
K.C. Rosburg, K.A. Donohue, E.P. Chassignet; Three- Dimensional Model-Observation Comparison in the Loop Current Region

9. Protected Species Observations
Explosive Removal of Structures
and G&G Activities
Ambient Noise in Gulf of Mexico
BSEE permits all decommissioning activities on the OCS
NMFS collects data on marine protected species at explosive removals and provides to BSEE
Multiple anthropogenic acoustic inputs
Data from Protected Species Observer (PSO) Sightings analyzed in BOEM study
Further need for future Passive Acoustic Oceans Observing System (PAOOS) or regional Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Program.

10. Assessing Broad-Scale Abundance and Distribution of Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, and Seabirds in the Gulf of Mexico: The New GoMMAPPS Field Program
GoMMAPPS GOALS
Improve information on Gulf of Mexico marine mammals,
sea turtles, and seabirds for mitigation and monitoring of
impact-producing factors
Underwater noise Trash and debris
Discharges/produced water
Accidental spills
Vessel traffic
Entanglement
Rebecca Green, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Jeff Gleason, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Meg Lamont, U.S. Geological Survey
Keith Mullin, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service

11. Atlantic Deepwater Ecosystem Observatory Network (ADEON)
Establish the information needed for assessment and management of environmental impacts “Baseline Studies”
Predict impacts on the marine biota;“Fates and Effects Studies”
Monitor human, marine, and coastal environments “Monitoring Studies”
~$6.5M (scalable) over 5 Years (FY )
Sustained deepwater measurements currently rare in Mid- and South Atlantic.
Ecosystem-based observing approaches provide integrated perspective across disciplines.
Multi-year, year-round measurements of regional processes and human use.
Drivers of oceanographic complexity and high productivity in offshore Atlantic waters.
New generation of “biologically-enabled” ocean observing systems.
… Coupled with physicochemical measurements.

12. Atmospheric Pollutant Transport & Dynamic Monitoring and Modeling
The fundamental goal is to better understand the transport, transitions, and transformation of pollutants, particularly in coastal areas, and then enhance their prediction using long- and short-range models.

13. ONE Gulf: International Collaborative Research
Mexican coast
Florida beaches
Cuban beaches
Louisiana marshes
Texas wetlands

14. Emerging Strategic Science Question: Offshore Alternative Energy
Hydrokinetic Energy
Wind Energy
Wave Energy

15. Habitats with Emphasis on Coral Communities:
Past Collaborative Awards for the Gulf of Mexico Region
Sperm Whale Seismic Study
Archaeological Analysis of Submerged Sites
on the GOM Outer Continental Shelf
2004 DOI Cooperative Conservation Award
2011 DOI Partners in Conservation Award
WWII Shipwrecks and the Artificial Reef Effects
Exploration and Research of Northern GOM of Deepwater Natural and Artificial Hard Bottom
2006 DOI Cooperative Conservation Award
Habitats with Emphasis on Coral Communities:
2007 NOPP Excellence in Partnering Award
Reefs, Rigs, and Wrecks
Investigations of Chemosynthetic Communities
on the Lower Continental Slope
2011 NOPP Excellence in Partnering Award
of the Gulf of Mexico
EcoSpatial Information Database (ESID)
2006 & NOAA OE Signature Expeditions,
Expeditions to the Deep Slope
2007 DOI Cooperative Conservation Award
2012 American Council of Engineering Companies Engineering Excellence Grand Award
Flower Garden Banks Long-Term Monitoring
Developing Environmental Protocols &
Monitoring to Support Ocean
2009 DOI Partners in Conservation Award
Renewable Energy & Stewardship
Battle of the Atlantic Expedition
2013 DOI Partners in Conservation Award
Ocean Renewable Energy Stewardship Partnership
History of the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry
in Southern Louisiana
2014 DOI Partners in Conservation Award
Atlantic Canyons: Pathways to the Abyss
2010 DOI Partners in Conservation Award
2015 NOPP Excellence in Partnering Award