Investment in alternative energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, which aggravates global warming, is a cornerstone of the Obama administration’s economic and energy policies. One of the best places to look for renewable energy may be offshore, where wind, waves, and currents have the potential to produce strong, consistent, clean energy.
While offshore energy sources have great potential, there are still questions about possible environmental impacts and best sites for alternative energy facilities. Coastal resource managers can be working now to help answer these questions.
The cover story of this edition of Coastal Services examines an environmental baseline study that New Jersey coastal managers have undertaken to help guide wind farm development off that state’s coastline.
In the story, the lead federal agency with authority over offshore renewable energy projects—the Minerals Management Service (MMS)—encourages states with the potential for offshore renewable energy development to conduct their own assessments focusing on environmental, social, and economic issues.
Another lesson that New Jersey managers pass on, which is echoed by MMS officials, is to partner early with the federal agencies involved in permitting offshore energy facilities.
Also in this edition is an article on audio podcasts and publications produced by Oregon Sea Grant that may help coastal managers navigate the challenges of communicating with the public about climate change by incorporating social science.
Understanding more about how social science relates to climate science is shedding light on how coastal management communications and outreach efforts can more effectively influence behavior.
The current economic conditions, plus mounting scientific evidence and public concern, have lent a new urgency to the need for our coastal communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change and sustainably use and protect the nation’s ocean and coastal resources.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center is working hard to support our coastal management partners by providing the necessary tools, data, and information to meet their needs
-- Margaret A. Davidson
