Providing unbiased data and analysis to support environmentally responsible solutions.

EPA National Coastal Condition Assessment, Benthic Invertebrate Analysis 2010-2011, 2014-2015, & 2020-2021

The U.S. EPA Office of Water implements the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) program to obtain consistent estimates of ecological condition in lakes, rivers and streams, coastal waters, and wetlands on a national scale. Since the beginning of this program, EcoAnalysts has been involved by providing taxonomic identification of biological samples. The National Coastal Condition Assessment was conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2020 and involved sampling approximately 1,000 stations within U.S. Coastal waters and Great Lakes. During each of these surveys EcoAnalysts has provide taxonomic analyses of Services provided include analysis of species composition and abundance of macroinvertebrate fauna found the benthic infauna samples. Each survey generated over 1,100 benthic samples (including field duplicates), making this taxonomy program one of the largest surveys in the world. The laboratory methods required complete sorting for each sample, identification of all organisms to lowest practical taxonomic level (usually genus or species), 10% internal QC on sorting and identification, and 10% external QC of taxonomy by an independent laboratory. Results of internal and external QC measures showed high precision and accuracy, lending credibility to the dataset. During these surveys our taxonomists encountered several species new to science and have published species descriptions in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Kitty Hawk North Carolina Offshore Wind Farm

Kitty Hawk Offshore is a proposed wind farm off the coast of North Carolina, United States. The proposed site is 27 miles from the Outer Banks and is projected to produce 2,500 MW of electricity, which could power approximately 700,000 homes with renewable energy. In 2017, BOEM awarded Avangrid Renewables with a 122,405-acre lease which requires a Site Assessment Plan (SAP). Project link Kitty Hawk Offshore.

EcoAnalysts was contracted to conduct taxonomic identification on over 200 benthic infauna samples as required by the SAP. All samples were collected using a 0.1 m2 grab and processed with a 0.5mm sieve. The entire abundance of benthic organisms remaining in the sieve were enumerated and identified to the lowest practical taxonomic level.

Beacon Wind New York Plan View Image Analysis

Beacon Wind is a 128,000-acre offshore wind lease located 60 miles east of Montauk Point, New York. Equinor and BP are hoping to produce 1,230 megawatts of renewable energy annually. Marine surveys began in late 2020 to provide baseline information for the federal and state permits.

EcoAnalysts was contracted in 2021 to analyze the benthic fauna present in Plan View images. The project contained 88 priority images where EcoAnalysts provided data 9 calendar days from receipt, and 618 images with data provided within 30 calendar days. Data was provided following the Costal and Marine Ecological Classification Standards (CMECS) for the biotic component. Descriptions of infauna, sessile epifauna, mobile epifauna, flora, and fish were provided in the data report. Species of concern were denoted as well as any non-native taxa present. The biotic subclass was described, and the percent coverage of attached or emergent taxa was delivered.

Vineyard Wind Massachusetts Benthic Infauna Analysis

Vineyard Wind is located 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts and is building the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind energy project. The planned 62 wind turbines will generate 800 megawatts of electricity annually which can supply over 400,000 homes.

Between 2018 and 2020 EcoAnalysts processed over 160 benthic infauna samples from the Vineyard Wind lease area. Benthic grabs samples were sieved with 500µm mesh, and the full abundance of organisms were removed from the remaining sediment. Infauna organisms were identified to family level.

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind New Jersey Benthic Infauna Analysis

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind (ASOW) is located 10-20 miles offshore of New Jersey and the lease area is 50:50 partnership between Shell New Energies and EDF Renewables North America. The contract was awarded in 2021 and surveys began shortly thereafter.

In early Summer 2022 EcoAnalysts received 93 benthic samples from the ASOW lease area to be processed. Half of the samples were selected to be processed under a rush deadline and data was submitted in 60-days after receipt. All samples were sieved at 500µm, and the full abundance of organisms were removed from the remaining sediment. Organisms were identified to the lowest practical taxonomic level and representatives of each unique taxa were pulled to create a project reference collection. Coolers and sample jars were provided by EcoAnalysts for the project.