New York State
Environmental Technical Working Group
2022 State of the Science Workshop
Building on Existing Knowledge and Emerging Collaborations
2022 State of the Science Workshop on Wildlife and
Offshore Wind Energy
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The 2022 State of the Science Workshop, hosted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on behalf of the Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) was held in Tarrytown, New York from July 26-28, 2022 with a virtual session on September 21, 2022. ​
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Highlights
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The 2022 State of the Science Workshop assembled over
450 stakeholders engaged with environmental and wildlife research relevant to offshore wind energy development.
The workshop included twelve presentation sessions and
symposia, 51 oral presentations, and 29 posters.
Presentations and discussions focused on the overarching
theme of the 2022 workshop, Building on Existing
Knowledge and Emerging Collaborations. The goals of State of the Science Workshops are to:
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Engage and inform interested stakeholders about the state of knowledge regarding wildlife and offshore wind energy development, including ongoing efforts to understand, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts
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Promote regional coordination by sharing updates on research studies, guidelines development, and other efforts in the eastern U.S. and elsewhere
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Promote collaboration through expert information exchange and discussion
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Workshop Sessions
Scientific Program
Terms of Use for Video Links
Links to videos for each workshop session are provided below where available. These presentation files are provided for personal edification only, and should not be cited without contacting the author(s) directly.
Wednesday, July 27th
Welcome and Keynote Address
Moderator:
Kate Williams, Biodiversity Research Institute
Opening Remarks from NYSERDA and the Workshop Planning Committee
Kate McClellan Press, Senior Project Manager at NYSERDA; Georges Sassine, Vice President for Large-Scale Renewables at NYSERDA; Kate Williams, Technical Program Chair and Director of the Center for Research on Offshore Wind and the Environment at the Biodiversity Research Institute
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Keynote Address
Ivan Savitsky, Offshore Wind Manager at The Carbon Trust and manager of the Offshore Renewables Joint Industry Programme (ORJIP) for Offshore Wind
Session 1: Oral Presentations
Video Link
Moderator:
Pam Loring, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Demersal trawl and ventless trap surveys at Block Island Wind Farm
Dara Wilber, INSPIRE Environmental
NOAA Fisheries and BOEM federal survey mitigation implementation strategy – Northeast U.S Region
Andy Lipsky, NOAA Fisheries
Altered spatial distribution of a marine top predator under elevated ambient sound conditions
Amber Fandel, University of Maryland
Displacement of Red–throated Loon by offshore wind farms in the North Sea of Germany
Georg Nehls, BioConsult SH & HiDef Aerial Surveying Ltd.
Piloting the operationalization of net positive impact on an offshore wind project
Jennifer Dupont, Equinor
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Session 2: Oral Presentations
Moderator:
Anthony Dvarskas,
Ørsted
Sometimes seen, but often heard: Presence of dolphins and harbor porpoise in potential cable corridor areas
Sarah Trabue, Wildlife Conservation Society
Monitoring the health and movements of pinnipeds in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean
Robert DiGiovanni, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society
SPACEWHALE: Surveying whales from space as an effective tool for baseline studies and respective monitoring
Julika Voss, BioConsult SH
Extremely reliable locations and calling abundance via passive acoustic monitoring
John Spiesburger, Scientific Innovations, Inc. & University of Pennsylvania
Automatic whale detection from vessels for real–time vessel–strike and noise impact mitigation – current developments and applicability
Daniel Zitterbart, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Session 3 Symposium: Predator-prey Interactions with Forage Fish and Seabirds: Building a Foundation to Understand Indirect Effects of Offshore Wind on Marine Ecosystems
Moderator:
Evan Adams, Biodiversity Research Institute
Examination of predator–prey relationships in the context of offshore wind development, focusing on seabirds and their prey. Presenters will describe forage fish trends and communities and the movements of the predators that rely on them, and discuss effects of offshore wind that can precipitate ecosystem changes.
Forage fish occurrence and temporal changes in offshore wind energy areas on the U.S. Northeastern Continental Shelf
Kevin Friedland, National Marine Fisheries Service (delivered by Evan Adams)
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The influence of climate and wind energy development on seabird–forage fish trophic relationships in the Northeast U.S
Michelle Staudinger, U.S. Geological Survey
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Forage fish community and surface aggregation dynamics in the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf Ecosystem
Chandra Goetsch, Biodiversity Research Institute
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Assessing individual movement, habitat use, and behavior of non–breeding marine birds in relation to planned offshore wind development in the eastern U.S.
Julia Gulka, Biodiversity Research Institute
Filling knowledge gaps: What’s next for understanding changes to seabird–forage fish dynamics?
Evan Adams, Biodiversity Research Institute
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Session 4: Oral Presentations
Moderator:
Brendan Runde, The Nature Conservancy
Regional habitat modeling results & establishing standard benthic data sharing workflows
Marisa Guarinello, INSPIRE Environmental
Modeling distributions of deep–sea corals offshore of the Southeastern United States to guide efficient discovery and protection of sensitive habitats
Matthew Poti, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Use of passive acoustic telemetry to monitor the presence and persistence of highly migratory species within Southern New England wind energy areas
Brian Gervelis, INSPIRE Environmental
Pre–construction evaluation of Atlantic cod spawning in Southern New England offshore wind areas
Alison Frey, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Establishing the Atlantic cod spatiotemporal spawning baseline in Southern New England to assess potential interactions with offshore wind energy
Rebecca Van Hoeck, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Session 5 Symposium: New York, New York: Working Together to Establish Marine Mammal Baselines in and Around a Wind Energy Lease Area and Associated Cable Corridors
Moderator:
Howard Rosenbaum, Wildlife Conservation Society
Introduction to a collaborative project focusing on collecting baseline information on cetacean presence in the New York Bight. Presentations discuss project objectives and results thus far and include discussion on collaboration between researchers and developers.
Passive acoustic monitoring in near real–time and associated capabilities
Mark Baumgartner, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
North Atlantic right whale (NARW) presence and vocal activity: Implications for safe passage through the New York Bight
Anita Murray, Wildlife Conservation Society (delivered by Howard Rosenbaum)
Temporal variability in fin whale vocal activity: Understanding occurrence, behavioral shifts, and population structure in the New York Bight
Carissa King, Wildlife Conservation Society
Baleen whale sightings: Distribution, behavior, and overlap with anthropogenic activities
Emily Chou, Wildlife Conservation Society
Using regional datasets to inform environmental impact assessment and mitigation measures: A developer’s perspective
Jennifer Dupont, Equinor
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Q&A / Panel Discussion
Thursday, July 28
Session 6: Oral Presentations
Video Link
Moderator:
Juliet Lamb, The Nature Conservancy
Modeling offshore wind infrastructure effects on upper ocean physical and biogeochemical processes and implications for higher trophic levels
Hansong Tang, The City College of New York
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Effects of floating offshore wind farms on coastal upwelling in the California Current ecosystem
Kaus Raghukumar, Integral Consulting Inc.
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Comparing underwater noise measured during construction of the first two offshore wind farms in the U.S.
Kristen Ampela, HDR, Inc.
Characterizing the operational soundscape of floating offshore wind parks: Implications for environmental risk assessment and wildlife
Jordan Carduner, Equinor
The characterization of acoustic particle motion from loud impulsive and quiet sustained sources of sound
Kaus Raghukumar, Integral Consulting Inc.
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Sessions 7: Oral Presentations
Video Link
Moderator:
Shilo Felton, Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute
Environmental drivers of distribution of whales, seabirds, and turtles in the New York Bight
Sarah Courbis, Advisian Worley Group
Modeling past and future spatial distributions of marine bird species in U.S. Atlantic waters
Arliss Winship, CSS Inc. under contract to NOAA NCCOS
Oceanic records of North American bats and implications for offshore wind energy development in the United States
Christian Newman, Electric Power Research Institute
Offshore bat activity patterns detected by vessel–based acoustic monitoring
Nathan Schwab, Tetra Tech
Technology needs for scientifically robust wildlife monitoring and adaptive management of birds and marine mammals
Sarah Courbis, Advisian Worley Group
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Sessions 8 Symposium: If We Build it, Who will Come? Exploring Artificial Reef Effects Associated with Offshore Wind Installations
Video Link
Moderators:
Carl LoBue, The Nature Conservancy; Annie Murphy, INSPIRE Environmental
Examination of the ecological implications of introducing novel structures such as turbine foundations and scour protection into the marine environment through offshore wind development. Presentations will discuss nature–inclusive designs, identifying knowledge gaps, outlining research methodologies, and associated US–specific socio– ecological aspects.
The flyway concept and assessment of offshore wind impacts on migratory marine fauna
David Secor, University of Maryland
Turbines as artificial reefs, nature–based design options to enhance habitat
Christopher McGuire, The Nature Conservancy
Epifaunal colonization on foundations in the U.S. and subsequent organic enrichment to the seafloor
Annie Murphy, INSPIRE Environmental
Overview of lessons learned from Europe
Steven Degraer, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Sessions 9 Symposium: Collaborative Animal Movement Studies to Improve Conservation Outcomes
Moderator:
Pam Loring, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Discussion of current efforts and next steps for coordination and analysis of wildlife telemetry data for offshore wind research, monitoring, and assessments in the Atlantic. Using birds as a case study, symposium speakers will focus on coordinated automated radio telemetry (Motus) and satellite telemetry (e.g., Argos and GPS).
Development of a coordinated offshore Motus network for monitoring birds and bats at site specific to regional scales
Pamela Loring, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Evaluating the impact of offshore Motus study design choices on the presence and movements of birds in marine environments
Evan Adams, Biodiversity Research Institute
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SCRAM model for estimating offshore avian collision risk using avian movement data
Andrew Gilbert, Biodiversity Research Institute
A framework to determine optimal sample sizes and transmitter distribution for individual tracking studies
Juliet Lamb, The Nature Conservancy
Combining satellite telemetry data across studies for Sterna terns relative offshore wind energy in Brazil
Rafael Revorêdo, Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Sessions 10 Symposium: Autonomous Solutions Responding to the Oceanographic and Ecological Monitoring Needs of Offshore Wind Development
Moderators:
Josh Kohut & Grace Saba, Rutgers University
Panel discussion focused on the use of autonomous platforms such as underwater gliders in offshore wind-related ecological and environmental monitoring. An introductory presentation will highlight a recent successful example of replacing vessel-based surveys from Antarctica with autonomous survey platforms. Panel discussion will include federal, state, and private sector perspectives on autonomous monitoring and regulatory solutions.
Autonomous monitoring for resource assessment in the Antarctic and California Current
Christian Reiss, NOAA Fisheries
Panel Discussion
Josh Kohut, Rutgers University
Grace Saba, Rutgers University
Andy Lipsky, NOAA Fisheries
Kate McClellan Press, NYSERDA
Kira Lawrence, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
Renee Riley, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Greg DeCelles, Orsted
Christian Reiss, NOAA Fisheries
Sessions 11 Symposium: Progress on RWSE Science Plan for Wildlife, Habitat, and Offshore Wind Energy in the U.S. Atlantic
Moderator:
Emily Shumchenia, Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative
The Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative (RWSC) is focused on how offshore wind development will affect wildlife and ecosystems off the U.S. Atlantic coast. This symposium will provide an update on development of integrated science plans, and how they will inform future coordination of research activities and funding. Following presentations from each taxa-based subcommittee, a concluding discussion will address future expectations and considerations.
General RWSC introduction and recent progress, and Protected Fish Subcommittee update
Emily Shumchenia, RWSC
Marine Mammal Subcommittee update
Deborah Brill, Duke University
Bird & Bat Subcommittee update
Zara Dowling, University of Massachusetts Clean Energy Extension
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Sea Turtle Subcommittee update
Avalon Bristow, RWSC
Habitat & Ecosystem Subcommittee update
Marisa Guarinello, INSPIRE Environmental
Panel Discussion
Kyle Baker, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Colleen Brust, New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection
Jennifer Dupont, Equinor
Garry George, National Audubon
Carl LoBue, The Nature Conservancy
Scott Johnston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Chris Orphaneides, NOAA Fisheries
Concluding Remarks
Concluding remarks from members of the scientific organizing committee for the 2022 State of the Science Workshop on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy, including: Greg Decelles, Orsted; Kate Williams, Biodiversity Research Institute; and Kate McClellan Press, NYSERDA
Wednesday, September 21st
Session 12: Virtual Presentations
Video Link
Moderator:
Julia Gulka, Biodiversity Research Institute
Investigating prey fields near foraging right whales in southern New England
Harvey Walsh, NOAA Fisheries
Towards understanding the potential for offshore wind to impact bats
Julia Willmott, Normandeau Associates
Method for defining appropriate Acceptable Levels of Impact on bird populations
Astrid Potiek, Bureau Waardenburg
Using remote monitoring to understand weather influences on bird activity in the offshore environment
Greg Forcey, Normandeau Associates
The use of LiDAR technology to measure site specific offshore avian flight heights
Steph McGovern, APEM Ltd.
Machine learning for automated detection and classification of seabirds, waterfowl, and other marine wildlife from digital aerial imagery
Kyle Landolt, U.S. Geological Survey
B–finder – automatic bat & bird collision monitoring for wind farms
Michal Przybycin, B-Finder
Design, production, and validation of the biological and structural performance of an ecologically engineered concrete block mattress
Heather Weitzner, ECOncrete
Q&A / Panel Discussion
Photo credits: Banner offshore wind farm © Nicholas Doherty; Loggerhead sea turtle © Kate Sutherland; Whale and birds © Humberto Braojos; Benthic habitat © Arhnue Tan; Offshore wind farm © Chuyuss