c/EPA
OCEAN SURVEY VESSEL (OSV)  BOLD
 EPA's new Ocean Survey
 Vessel Bold helps  to monitor
 and assess the health of our
 oceans and coastal waters.

 WHAT IS THE OSV BOLD?
 • The OSV Bold is EPA's only ocean
   and coastal monitoring vessel.

 • The vessel is converted from a U.S.
   Navy ocean surveillance vessel to an
   Ocean Survey Vessel.  It is
   specifically designed to meet EPA
   sampling and data analysis needs.

 • The OSV Bold is outfitted with state-
   of-the art equipment used to collect
   samples including water and
   sediments. These samples can then
   be processed and analyzed in
   onboard laboratories or onshore.

  EPA's OSV Bold:

  Supports surveys assessing
  the health of our marine
  resources.

  Allows scientists to monitor
  and to assess the effects of
  human activities.

  Collects oceanographic data
  on oceans and coastal
  areas of the Atlantic and
  Pacific Oceans, Caribbean
  Sea, and the Gulf of
  Mexico.

  Provides educational
  opportunities about ocean
  and coastal pollution issues
  and state-of-the-art
  oceanographic monitoring
  techniques.

  Supports the
  Administration's Ocean
  Action Plan commitment to
  upgrade our nation's ocean
  monitoring facilities.
WHY IS OCEAN AND COASTAL
  MONITORING AND
  ASSESSMENT IMPORTANT?
• Pollution from land- and water-
  based activities adversely affects
  marine resources.  It can cause
  outbreaks of harmful algal blooms,
  hypoxia, beach and shellfish bed
  closures, and seafood
  consumption advisories.

• Ocean and coastal monitoring
  allows scientists to assess
  physical, chemical and/or
  biological effects from human
  activities.

• Policymakers use information
  gained from ocean and coastal
  surveys to implement programs so
  that they protect our ocean and
  coastal environments.


WHAT TYPES OF OCEAN AND
  COASTAL MONITORING DOES
  THE OSV BOLD SUPPORT?
• Projects include monitoring the
  impacts of regulated disposal,
  such as dredged materials and
  wastewater discharges.

• Projects also include monitoring
  the health of coral reefs and the
  impacts of ecological
  disturbances, such as harmful
  algal blooms and hypoxia.
HOW DOES THE OSV BOLD
  SUPPORT OCEAN AND
  COASTAL MONITORING?
• The OSV Bold is equipped with
  state-of-the-art sampling,
  mapping, and analysis equipment
  including sidescan sonar,
  underwater video, water sampling
  instruments, and sediment
  sampling devices, which scientists
  use in various monitoring
  activities.

• The OSV Bold also has small
  boats and equipment to support
  SCUBA diver operations during
  monitoring surveys.

WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES DOES
  THE OSV BOLD SUPPORT?
• EPA trains SCUBA divers aboard
  the OSV Bold as part of its Dive
  Program.

• The OSV Bold also serves as a
  classroom, holding tours and
  demonstration surveys to educate
  the public including students and
  teachers, on ocean and coastal
  pollution issues.

HOW CAN I OBTAIN MORE
  INFORMATION?
• Visit our website at
  www.epa.gov/owow/osvbold/.

• Contact us at 202-566-1200.

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Certified Chief Scientists from EPA
Regions, program offices, and
Headquarters, design and conduct
monitoring surveys onboard the OSV Bold.
Surveys conducted onboard
the OSV Bold include
assessing air deposition, red
tides, harmful algal blooms,
waste disposal, ocean
wastewater outfalls, marine
debris, and hazardous
material spills to determine
potential impacts and
appropriate control
strategies.
                                  OSV Bold's Mission
   The OSV Bold supports EPA's efforts to monitor and assess impacts on ocean and
   coastal waters from land- and ocean-based  human activities and naturally occuring
                                 ecological disturbances.
         About the
         OSV Bold

  Length:        224 feet

  Width:         43 feet

  Draft:          15 feet

  Displacement:   2300 tons

  Speed:         11 knots

  Operating Crew: 19

  Scientists:      20
                                                           Working from the OSV Bold, the EPA
                                                           Dive Team monitors impacts to coral
                                                           reef health.
Under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA), EPA is responsible for designating and monitoring sites
for dredged material disposal. Scientists onboard the OSV Bold
collect and analyze organisms and sediment for population diversity
and pollutant concentrations at dredged material disposal sites
along our Nation's coasts.

                                         Office of Water
                              Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
                  1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. (Mail Code 4504T), Washington, D.C. 20460
                                        EPA-842-F-05-001a
                                          October 2005

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