North American Windpower: GMI Awarded New Jersey Ocean/Wind Power Ecological Baseline Studies

by NAW Staff on Thursday 15 November 2007

Geo-Marine Inc. (GMI) has been awarded a $4.4 million contract to conduct an 18-month Ocean/Wind Power Ecological Baseline Study for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. New Jersey is the first state to sponsor an ocean and wind power study before allowing renewable energy developers to study and build off its shores.

GMI's study will focus on the designated study area off New Jersey's coast to determine the current distribution, abundance and migratory patterns of avian species, fish, marine resources and sea turtle-use of the existing ecological resources.

GMI will provide spatial and temporal data on avian and marine species that use the offshore waters to determine potential areas for offshore wind power development and potential avian and marine species impacts. The existing and new data GMI collects will be compiled into a digital geographic information system that will be used to depict species distribution, modeling and impact assessment.

GMI is an environmental research and consulting firm based in Plano, Texas.

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