The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for managing the development of U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) energy and mineral resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way. A critical component of BOEM’s mission is protecting the environment while overseeing the development of OCS energy and marine mineral resources.
BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program (ESP) develops, funds and manages rigorous scientific research specifically to inform policy decisions on the development of energy and mineral resources on the OCS, as required by law. This environmental and socioeconomic research is designed to provide BOEM the necessary information to assess, predict, monitor and manage potential environmental impacts of the activities it authorizes.
As part of this effort, ESP staff prepare BOEM’s annual Studies Development Plan to cover a two-year planning period. The plan includes brief study descriptions, or profiles, that describe proposed studies for the upcoming fiscal year and for one successive year. These studies are designed to collect the information necessary to meet the needs of BOEM scientists, rule writers, modelers, decision makers and other users. Proposed studies are evaluated for program relevance, programmatic timeliness and scientific merit.
BOEM is beginning to formulate its fiscal year 2024–2025 Studies Development Plan covering all BOEM energy and minerals activities. We encourage people to submit study ideas for consideration in Alaska, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific OCS areas. Study ideas must be relevant to BOEM's information requirements in the areas of biological, oceanographic (physical and chemical) and social sciences (including economic and cultural research) and Indigenous knowledge.
We encourage people to review BOEM’s National Studies List for Fiscal Year 2023, which identifies studies BOEM intends to procure in fiscal 2023 (subject to availability of funding). The current Studies Development Plan is online and the Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS) provides access to ongoing studies and completed reports. Brief summaries of recently completed studies can also be found in the archive of ESPIS Quarterly Reports. Please carefully consider BOEM’s ESP Strategic Framework – particularly the criteria and questions – when formulating your study ideas. Also note that BOEM’s priority will continue to be studies related to offshore wind. Study ideas focusing on long-term monitoring and cumulative effects of offshore wind are of particular interest. Further, where study ideas align with Indigenous cultural interests and effects on underserved communities, incorporation should be considered.
Send any suggestions in a short paragraph via email to ESP by Dec. 9, 2022, including an explanation of why BOEM should consider funding them in light of the points noted above.
Please note that all submissions become property of the federal government. While suggestions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, there is no guarantee they will be accepted. Some ideas may be combined with other suggestions. Acceptance of an idea does not imply that the submitter will receive funding.
