Recommendations on BOEM Avian Survey Guidelines — AMBC Marine Spatial Planning Working Group

Description: On April 13^th, members of the AMBC Marine Spatial Planning Group sent a letter to BOEM leaders and staff, providing recommendations and technical comments for improving BOEM’s Guidelines for Providing Avian Survey Information for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf. The letter commends BOEM for their efforts in developing guidelines, and asks BOEM to update the guidelines to better reflect current best available science and clarify how information obtained through these survey guidelines should be used. Input provided is based on several years of discussions among AMBC members and other stakeholders, including the following targeted forums: 1) an offshore wind-focused meeting of the AMBC MSP Working Group in Princess Anne, MD (November 2019), and 2) a workshop to develop a scientific research framework for understanding impacts to birds and bats from offshore wind energy development, which was sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in New York, NY (March 2020). The letter represents comments from nearly 40 members (17 agencies and organizations), who work at federal and state agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations, including academia, nonprofits, and industry.  The letter also underwent an independent review by an expert based out of Europe who leads a bird working group for NYSERDA.

Contacts: Holly Goyert (holly.goyert@aecom.com); Iain Stenhouse (iain.stenhouse@briloon.org)

Read the letter to BOEM from the AMBC Marine Spatial Planning Group.