BOEM’s Mid-Atlantic OCS Sand Supply Assessment Expansion Grant

BOEM cooperates with the Delaware Geological Survey, a unit of the University of Delaware, to forecast the demand for and supply of OCS sand and gravel resources along the Mid-Atlantic region to support existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects, public holdings, and critical infrastructure. This region is characterized by close interconnections between coastal communities, critical infrastructure (including State and Federal lands), and habitats, which are all at risk to impacts from climate change.This cooperative agreement would apply forecasting tools developed in partnership with the Delaware Geological Survey to expand BOEM’s ongoing evaluation of sediment demand and supply in the Mid-Atlantic. As a result, BOEM would be better equipped to evaluate and characterize regional sand supply gaps over time scenarios relevant to climate change adaptation. Understanding these gaps would help BOEM to identify strategic areas for future investments in data acquisition surveys and to prioritize (de-conflict) sand resource areas in this region of concentrated wind energy infrastructure (including transmission lines).This agreement would help advance the National Offshore Sand Inventory. It also would address coastal resilience considerations reflected in sections 211 and 214 of Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” These considerations include mitigating climate change and strengthening resilience by protecting and restoring vulnerable coastlines, which are projected to need OCS sand resources for at least the next 50 years. Datasets would be housed in the Marine Minerals Information System and shared with State resource agencies, Federal partners, and other stakeholders.