This BOEM grant is for understanding cetacean habitat use on the U.S. West Coast and Hawai’i to inform offshore energy development.

The specific project identified in Section 2 is intended for eligible applicants. However, cooperative research (establishment of teams) is encouraged and the applicant may include subcontracts to non-profit organizations, private institutions of higher education, private companies or public and state controlled institutions of higher education within their proposal. This research project is required to have a staff member of the applying organization as the Principal Investigator (PI). Federal entities as partners are allowed, however the tasks performed by the Federal partner and the associated budget must be presented separately by the Federal partner. Other non-federal organizations may be partners and their tasks and budgets should be included in the eligible applicant’s proposal.

The passage of the 2005 Energy Policy Act has increased interest in renewable energy development on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), and BOEM has already received five unsolicited applications to install floating wind turbines: two offshore Washington, one offshore Oregon, and one each offshore northern and central California. The overarching challenge with the development of new industries or technologies is trying to anticipate their effects on the environment. The purpose of this study is to collate and analyze existing telemetry data gathered from protected cetacean species along the U.S. West Coast and Hawai’i to better understand how these species use their ocean habitat. This type of analysis is crucial in supporting more accurate assessment of potential impacts of oil and gas decommissioning activities and offshore wind energy development, as well as providing insight into potential mitigative strategies.