U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Office of Environmental Programs
IOOC
July 28, 2014
Walter Johnson, Chief
Branch of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Division of Environmental Sciences
Bureau Mission
To manage the development of the nation’s
offshore resources in an environmentally and
economically responsible way.
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Outer Continental Shelf
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Science Informed Decisions
• Oil and Gas
 5 year leasing plan, regional lease sales
• Renewable Energy
 Site identification through stakeholder input and
state task forces
• Marine Minerals
 Through negotiated agreement with state and
local entities
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Environmental Program Mission
To provide the information needed to identify, assess,
and manage impacts from offshore energy and marine
mineral exploration, development, and production
activities on human, marine, and coastal environments.
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Environmental Studies Program
Types of Studies
• Baseline / Benchmark
• Cause and Effect, Process
• Monitoring
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ESP Spending by Discipline
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BOEM Participation with IOOS
•Board Representation
–Alaska and Gulf of Mexico
•Cooperative Agreements
–Southern California and Alaska
•Significant Cooperation
–Gulf of Mexico, Mid-Atlantic, others
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BOEM Monitoring
Future BOEM cooperation with IOOS
• Observations are key to management
• Coop. Agreements with RA Universities
• Southern California, Alaska and Gulf of
Mexico
• Outreach and sharing of other ESP useinspired science, through BOEM ESPIS
• Increased awareness within BOEM of the
benefits of IOOS
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geoESPIS – Spatially Enabling
Environmental Studies
Walter Johnson, Chief
Branch of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Division of Environmental Sciences
Environmental Studies Program
Science for Informed Decisions
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