Call for Nominations: Tribal Scientists for Offshore Wind Environmental Monitoring Guidance

We are pleased to issue a call for nominations for tribal scientists to contribute to the development of environmental monitoring guidance for offshore wind. In October of 2023, OPC selected California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF) via a competitive proposal process to develop comprehensive offshore wind environmental monitoring guidance. CMSF will convene expert working groups that will provide technical and scientific expertise to inform the monitoring guidance.

OPC and CMSF invite nominations for tribal scientists with expertise in one or more of the following subject areas: a) Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles, b) Fish Ecology, c) Seabirds and Bats, and d) Habitats and Ecosystems (including oceanographic and atmospheric conditions), as well as cross-cutting topics including e) Data Integration and Sharing, and f) Climate Change.

For more information on eligibility and the nomination process, please view the official call for nominations. Ideally, nominations should be submitted by May 31, 2024, but OPC will review and accept nominations on an ongoing basis throughout the two-year project.

View the Call for Nominations

*Surfgrass in the subtitle zone at **MacKerricher State Park** on Northern Pomo* *and Coast Yuki ancestral land.*

California Native American tribes that are interested in contributing to the monitoring guidance but lack expertise in the specific areas listed above can engage in several other ways. OPC will be holding formal tribal consultations throughout the grant period. CMSF will regularly present updates and opportunities for feedback at the California Energy Commission led offshore wind tribal working group; please reach out to Sierra Graves at sierra.graves@energy.ca.gov to be added to the working group. Additionally, tribes can email CMSF’s Offshore Wind Coordinator Julia Dombroski at julia@californiamsf.org to provide comments or suggest additional methods for tribal engagement.

For any additional comments or questions, please reach out to OPC’s Senior Biodiversity Program Manager & Tribal Liaison, Michael Esgro, at michael.esgro@resources.ca.gov.