Study begins of coastal and marine archaeological sites along the Pacific Coast

Lake County News -

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) said Wednesday that it is beginning a two-year, comprehensive study of coastal and marine archaeological sites along the Pacific Coast of the United States.

The study will analyze and inventory marine archaeological resources on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf and existing historical sites located on the West Coast.

Findings from the study will be used in future environmental analyses and may trigger specific steps to mitigate potential environmental impacts associated with future construction and deployment of offshore renewable energy facilities.

“A thorough understanding of coastal and marine resources is critical to adequately assess potential effects of future offshore renewable energy technology testing and commercial development,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich. “The findings of this study will assist us in future siting decisions and enhance our ability to identify effective methodologies for protecting those resources.”

It has been more than 20 years since BOEMRE has conducted a marine archaeological study offshore California, Oregon and Washington.

Since that time, there have been a number of significant archaeological discoveries along the Pacific coast, including historic shipwrecks and now submerged prehistoric sites.

The study is intended to broaden the understanding of known and potential submerged cultural resources, as well improving our understanding of potential visual impacts to coastal historic properties along the Pacific coast.

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