-------
EPA Administrator
and Assistant Administrator for Water
Ben Grumbles in the dry laboratory.
EPA Administrator Johnson (forward right)
and Assistant Administrator for Water Ben
Grumbles (back center) assist EPA Chief
Scientists with the sediment sampler.
EPA Administrator Johnson (on
left) and Assistant Administrator
for Water Ben Grumbles examine
sediment samples.
       This first Ocean Survey Vessel Bold Annual Report highlights the Bold's scientific survey
       capabilities, survey accomplishments, and the unique role vessels play in supporting EPA's
       monitoring and assessment programs. This report will be of particular interest to those
       working to protect our oceans and coastal resources.
         Our previous Ocean Survey Vessel, the OSV Anderson, monitored our oceans and
       coastal waters for 25 years. The Bold is continuing to carry on this important mission.
       The monitoring information gathered with the Bold allows EPA to more accurately assess
       impacts to the marine environment and in turn allows EPA to more effectively protect
       our marine resources.
         This past year the Bold supported  scientific surveys ranging in topics from red tide
       research in New England waters to coral reef health monitoring, assessment of Gulf of
       Mexico hypoxia, and monitoring of dredged material dumpsites. The Bold provided state-
       of-the-art oceanographic support in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the
       Caribbean Sea.
         Through this floating laboratory, EPA is helping to chart a healthier course for our oceans,
       ensuring that the beauty and health of our oceans will be enjoyed for years to come by
       future generations.
         Benjamin H. Grumbles,
         Assistant Administrator for Water
         United States Environmental Protection Agency

-------
 2  Executive Summary
 4  Introduction
 6  TheOSVBo/cf
 9  Emergency response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
10  Gulf of Mexico hypoxia assessment and monitoring
11  Maintaining depth of shipping channels to U.S. ports:
     ocean dredged material disposal sites
     assessment and monitoring
13  Coral reef monitoring and biocriteria development
14  Red tide assessment and monitoring
15  Coastal water, sediment, and organism toxicity assessments
17  Fish waste disposal sites assessment and monitoring
17  Coastal eutrophication assessment
17  Ocean outfall monitoring
17  Disposal site surveys
18  Public education on EPA oceans and coastal programs
18  Surveys in 2007
19  Appendix 1:  Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Peter W. Anderson
     Top Accomplishments (1979- 2005)
23  Appendix 2:  OSV Bold facilities and technical equipment
24  Appendix 3:  OSV Bold scientific surveys August 2005 - December 2006

-------
                                                       The Bold at sea
This report highlights oceanographic surveys from the initiation of the
Bold as EPA's oceans and coastal monitoring  vessel in August 2005
through December of 2006. Over this year and a half, the Bold completed
a total of  32 oceanographic surveys involving hundreds of sampling
locations, spending over 250 days at sea in U.S. waters.

-------
Scientific surveys completed by the Bold:
   • Assisted in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina
     and Rita.
   • Gathered data in three Gulf of Mexico hypoxia
     surveys in 2006 (April, June, September).
   •Conducted  monitoring  regarding  14  ocean
     dredged material disposal sites  managed by
     EPA.
   • Surveyed coral reef environments in the Carib-
     bean and in Florida waters.
   • Investigated whether shellfish  beds in the Gulf
     of Maine exposed to red tide could be reopened
     to harvesting.
   • Evaluated contaminant levels in organisms that
     inhabit artificial reefs created from vessels scut-
     tled off the coast of Florida.
   • Monitored shellfish  wasfe  disposal impacts
     to  the marine environment  off the coast of
     Virginia.
   • Assessed coastal eutrophication in the Mid-At-
     lantic Bight (New York to North Carolina).
   • Monitored an ocean discharge outfall for effects
     on the marine environment in  St. Croix,  U.S.
     Virgin  Islands, and assessed possible bacterial
     contamination at an outfall in Virginia.
   Various  survey  partners have made the  Bold's
first  full  year  of operation  successful,  including:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy, U.S. Vir-
gin Islands  Department of Planning and Natural Re-
                          ft
OSV Bold ship manager Ken Potts explains how
scientists use the water sampler.
sources, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the
National Estuary Program, and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
   In addition to supporting numerous and diverse
scientific surveys,  there have  been  more than 10
public education events held aboard the Bold.  Par-
ticipants in events involving the ship in 2006 include
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson and Assistant
Administrator for Water Ben Grumbles, and Regional
Administrators Jimmy Palmer,  Donald Welsh,  Alan
Steinberg, and Robert Varney.
                                              EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
                                             The Bold docked at South Street Seaport,
                                                      New York City, New York.
The future health of our ocean and coastal resources depends on our
actions today. To restore and safeguard these resources, EPA undertakes
many efforts to identify and control problems that threaten the health of
our oceans and coastal waters.

-------
Gathering information and analyzing data to support
management decisions are essential parts of marine
resource protection. The Bold collects  data in the
ocean and coastal environments.  The Bold surveys
our oceans and  coasts to protect human health, to
support economic and  recreational activities, and to
influence actions that safeguard healthy habitat for
fish, plants, and wildlife.
   Our oceans and coasts are unique resources that
support a wide diversity of life. We depend on those
complex ecosystems to provide us with places to live,
play, relax, and work. Our national economy is linked
in a number of ways to the productivity of our oceans
and coasts. For instance, in 2000, the ocean economy
contributed more than $117 billion to American pros-
perity, and supported  in excess of two  million jobs
(U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2004). Of no less
importance are the values of marine resources that are
EPA Gulf Ecology Division scientists, Anthony Digirolamo
(on left) and Alex Almario, deploy the water sampler.
difficult to measure in economic terms. Values include
the beauty of our  oceans and coasts,  their  cultural
significance, and the vital ecosystem functions they
provide that sustain life on earth.
   Human  actions  have the potential to  adversely af-
fect our coastal and ocean waters. Pollution of sedi-
ments might  significantly  alter aquatic  ecosystems.
Wastewater discharged from shore or vessels in  vio-
lation of permit requirements might become a threat
to public health and  marine life. Toxic chemical  and
pathogen contamination negatively affects the entire
food web, including humans, who need the nutrition
that fish can provide,  but who should not be exposed
to unsafe  contaminants.  If not  managed properly,
ocean and coastal resources can be damaged by
habitat  modification, dredging,  construction,  and
other human activities.
                                               EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
 J
 I
-1   .' '

        1ST
    • )
             >   *

                                                       The Bold at dock in the Caribbean.
                                                              Photo by Richard Klain
      The Bold replaced EPA's previous ocean survey vessel, the Anderson.
      The Anderson served as the Agency's oceans and coastal monitoring
      vessel from 1979 until it was retired in 2005.

-------
In 25 years of monitoring and assessing our oceans
and coasts,  the Anderson  performed  many physi-
cal, chemical, and biological investigations that sup-
ported numerous EPA and state coastal and ocean
programs initiatives. Highlights of the Anderson's ac-
complishments can be found in Appendix 1.
   The size,  stability, and equipment capacity of the
Bold offer many advantages over the Anderson for
expanded scientific monitoring activities. The  Bold
can withstand more severe weather and higher seas,
can accommodate a larger scientific crew,  and has
more space for work areas and scientific equipment.
   The Bold was  constructed by  the Tacoma  Boat
Building Company of Tacoma, Washington, and was
first commissioned on  October 16,  1989,  as the
United States Naval Ship (USNS)  Vigorous, a Tacti-
cal Auxiliary  General Ocean Survey (T-AGOS) class
          EPA Chief Scientists on the bow of the OSV Bold.

vessel. The  vessel was later renamed  the  USNS
Bold  and served on  many  surveillance missions
in  the North Pacific Ocean. The Navy decommis-
sioned the USNS Bold in 2004. EPA  acquired the
ex-USNS Bold on March 31, 2004, to replace the
Anderson. EPA began scientific surveys with the Bold
on August 8, 2005.
   The  Bold underwent  dramatic changes in  its
transformation  from a military surveillance vessel to
an oceans and coastal monitoring  vessel. EPA im-
proved the deck system, and added wet and dry lab-
oratories, including a data acquisition laboratory.  In-
formation is transmitted from sampling  equipment to
computers in the data  acquisition laboratory, where
the data are analyzed. The Bold is specially equipped
to support EPA's environmental monitoring and as-
sessment needs.  Sampling equipment includes a
                                             EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
side scan sonar that produces digital acoustic images
of the ocean floor and a Conductivity, Temperature,
Depth (CTD) water profiler which measures physical
water characteristics in situ in real-time throughout
the water column. For a detailed list of scientific
facilities and technical equipment on the Bold, see
Appendix 2.
   Scientific surveys conducted onboard the Bold
address requirements of federal  statutes  such as
the Clean Water Act and the Marine Protection, Re-
search,  and Sanctuaries  Act. The surveys  provide
scientific information  and data to support EPA's
mission to protect and enhance oceans and coastal
waters through a variety of programs including part-
nerships and regulatory actions,  and response to
emergencies. Surveys are conducted by scientists
from various EPA offices, including Regional offices,
Headquarters, and the Office of Research and Devel-
opment, from states and territories, academic institu-
tions, and other partners. All surveys are conducted
under the leadership of EPA-Certified Chief Scien-
tists, who must complete a rigorous certification pro-
gram before being allowed to serve in that capacity.
   The  Bold is managed  by the EPA's Oceans and
Coastal Protection Division, in the Office of Water.
EPA Ship Manager Kennard Potts and vessel con-
tractor Seaward  Services,  Inc. provide direction to,
and operational handling of, the ship.
   The Bold provides EPA and its partners a platform
to gather the scientific data needed to assess effects
to the marine environment and to make informed de-
cisions to protect these resources and human health.
EPA's partners include: the U.S. Army Corps of Engi-
neers, U.S. Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Woods Hole  Oceanographic  Insti-
tution,  and the National Estuary Program. Since its
initial scientific survey in August 2005, the Bold has
supported surveys along  the Atlantic Coast, in the
Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean Sea.
   Scientific  surveys fall  into the categories  listed
below and are described in detail in the subsequent
sections of this Report.
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
                                                         EPA REGION 2
    Figure 1. Scope of OSV Bold monitoring and
    assessments through December 2006.
                                                                        (NORFOLK, VA
                                                                          DAM NECK, VA
                                                                                PORTLAND, ME
                                                                               GULF OF MAINE
                                                                                 MASSACHUSETTS BAY
                                                                       PORT EVERGLADES, FL
                                                                      'MIAMI, FL
• Emergency response to Hurricanes Katrina
 and Rita
• Gulf of Mexico hypoxia assessment and
 monitoring
• Maintaining depth of shipping channels to U.S.
 ports: ocean  dredged material disposal sites
 assessment and monitoring
• Coral reef monitoring and biocriteria
 development
• Red tide assessment and monitoring
• Coastal water, sediment, and organism toxicity
 assessments
• Fish wasfe disposal site assessment and
 monitoring
   • Coastal eutrophication assessment
   • Ocean outfall monitoring
   • Disposal site surveys

Emergency response to Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita
One of the Bold's first scientific surveys was in re-
sponse to the damage caused by Hurricanes Ka-
trina and Rita. EPA, the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric  Administration (NOAA), the  Food  and
Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Geological
Survey coordinated an environmental impact assess-
ment in coastal waters throughout the affected region.
Response activities  conducted  aboard numerous
                                          EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
vessels, including the Bold, NOAA's Research Vessel   level is generally accepted as the minimum concen-
Nancy Foster, FDA's small boat teams, and other field   tration required for most  marine life to survive and
activities in the shallow near shore and wetland envi-   reproduce. The magnitude  of  the  Gulf of Mexico
ronments, enabled the scientific crews to characterize   hypoxic zone varies from year-to-year, but appears
the magnitude and extent of coastal contamination as   to be the  largest hypoxic zone in the waters of the
well as ecological effects resulting from the devastat-   United States. The area of hypoxic waters reached in
ing storms. EPA monitored twenty areas at the mouth   excess of  20,000 square kilometers  during the sum-
of the Mississippi River,  Mississippi Sound, and Lake   mers of 2001 and 2002, an  area that exceeded the
Ponchartrain to determine whether raw sewage from   size  of Massachusetts. Current evidence indicates
flooded communities had spread into local waters,   that  the development, extent, and  persistence of
Test results from  Gulf of Mexico sampling indicated   hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico are caused by anthro-
that the waters in these areas met the standards for all   pogenic nutrient loading from the Mississippi-Atcha-
primary contact recreation, which includes swimming,   falaya River Basin.
   For additional  information, see http://www.epa.      Hypoxia monitoring and assessment by the Bold
gov/katrina/index.html.                             supports the Hypoxia Action Plan. The Hypoxia Ac-
                                                 tion  Plan,  prepared by a federal and state agency
Gulf  of Mexico hypoxia assessment and     working group,  was established in response to the
monitoring                                     Harmful Algal  Bloom  and Hypoxia  Control Act in
The Bold supported assessment and monitoring of   October 2000.  The plan  calls  for expanded long-
hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Investigations into the   term monitoring programs, enhanced research and
Gulf's inner shelf along  coastal Louisiana  and Texas   modeling efforts, and increased stakeholder educa-
have  documented the development of oxygen-de-   tion  and national  awareness programs. Increasing
pleted or hypoxic  bottom waters and the  increasing   the scale and frequency of monitoring activities will
extent of the hypoxic zone over the past several de-   better define the  spatial  and temporal extent and
cades. Surveys were conducted in April,  June, and   dynamics  of the hypoxic zone, and the conditions
September 2006.                                  of waters  throughout  the Mississippi- Atchafalaya
   Hypoxia is dissolved oxygen concentrations in   River Basin. The surveys directly support the reas-
water that are less than  two milligrams per liter. This   sessment  of nutrient load reductions achieved and
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
the response of the hypoxic zone since the Action   Maintaining depth of shipping channels
Plan was released in January 2001. A revised Action   to U.S. ports: ocean dredged material
Plan is scheduled for release in late 2007. The Bold   disposal sites assessment and
supports the research and modeling efforts that are   monitoring
needed to reduce the scientific uncertainties of the   Our  ports,  harbors, and navigable waterways are
effects of hypoxia, to find the sources of contributing   vital  to the U.S. economy  and national  security.
factors, and to understand the biochemical process-   Dredging maintains access to those areas, and has
es that  underlie the causes and effects of hypoxia.   become increasingly important as ships increase in
The surveys also support investigations into the so-   size. Dredged material disposal must be conducted
cial and economic impacts of various management   in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner un-
strategies, as well as  the success of nutrient reduc-   der the Marine Protection,  Research, and Sanctuar-
tion strategies.                                    ies Act (MPRSA) or the Clean Water Act (jurisdiction
   The  objective of the three Bold hypoxia surveys   is determined by the location of the disposal site).
conducted in 2006 was  to characterize the magni-   An important mission of the Bold is the collection of
tude of, and variability in, physical, chemical, and bio-   environmental data that are used in the designation
logical properties and processes in the water column   of new sites and in the required periodic monitoring
and  sediments along coastal  Louisiana throughout   of existing designated ocean disposal sites.  Under
the year. Seasonal data and information collected in-   the MPRSA, EPA is responsible for designating sites,
elude the distribution and variability in dissolved in-   and for reviewing and concurring in dredged material
organic nutrient concentrations, particulate nutrients,   ocean disposal permits. The MPRSA also requires
total suspended solids, phytoplankton species bio-   that a site monitoring and management plan be pre-
mass and pigments, temperature, salinity, dissolved   pared for each site before it may be used for dredged
oxygen, and light  extinction. The  data and informa-   material disposal. An essential component of the site
tion was used to refine a predictive model that will   monitoring and  management plan is a characteriza-
provide useful insight into Gulf of Mexico hypoxia.   tion of baseline conditions before any disposal activ-
Additional studies to  fill  data and information gaps   ity is  conducted at the site,  so that any qualitative
related to the water column and sediment processes   changes in benthic  habitat resulting from  disposal
were also performed during these Bold surveys.       activities can be identified during future surveys.
                                              EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
Appropriate reference areas need  to  be identified
for each disposal site, so that characteristics similar
to those of potential dredging projects can be used
as a source of reference sediments. There were two
reference evaluation studies conducted in 2006: the
Gulf of Mexico Reference Evaluation and the South
Atlantic Bight Reference Evaluation.
   EPA regional scientists use the Bold for monitor-
ing ocean dredged material disposal sites to confirm
that the dredged  material  is disposed of  properly,
that the dumping does not unreasonably degrade or
endanger human health or the marine  environment,
and that the site is performing as it was designed.
For example,  surveys conducted  in 2006 off the
coast of south Florida showed that dredged material
disposal was affecting a significantly larger area of
the seafloor than predicted. As a result, site use will
have to be modified  or the disposal site redefined.
The Bold also helps in locating and assessing poten-
tial new areas to receive dredged material. This pro-
cess keeps U.S. commerce moving while protecting
the marine environment.
   The following locations have ocean dredged ma-
terial disposal sites that were surveyed:
   • Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
   • Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
   • Pascagoula, Mississippi
   • Fernandina, Florida
   • Jacksonville, Florida
   • Miami, Florida
   • Port Everglades, Florida
   • Key West, Florida
   • Savannah, Georgia
   • Brunswick, Georgia
   • Dam Neck, Virginia
   • Norfolk, Virginia
   • Massachusetts Bay,  Massachusetts
   • Portland, Maine
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
Coral reef monitoring and biocriteria
development
Coral reefs are believed to be declining worldwide
because  of rising sea water temperatures, as well
as effects from  local  sources, such  as  excessive
nutrient loading,  sedimentation, and direct physical
damage  to coral populations. Coral  reefs  are  ex-
tremely important  ecosystems,  primarily  because
they provide habitat for many fish and invertebrate
species. The structure of a well  developed and di-
verse coral community supports fisheries, tourism,
and  biopharmaceutical opportunities.  The physical
presence of coral structure protects shorelines from
                   EPA divers survey coral reef habitat.

erosion  by waves and currents. In addition, corals
are important sensitive sentinels of water quality and
general ecological health.
   In August 2005, the Bold was part of a study that
monitored the  effects of dredged material disposal
on coral reefs  off the coast of southeast Florida. It
was used for diver support for the collection of coral
samples and for deployment of water quality moni-
toring equipment.
   The Bold spent  the month of February, 2006,
supporting surveys to monitor and assess coral reef
health in the Caribbean Sea. A number of partners
contributed to the success of  the surveys includ-
                                              EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
ing: U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and   very sensitive to environmental stresses. Determining
Natural  Resources,  University of Puerto Rico,  U.S.   the current viability of those resources will allow man-
Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and At-   agers to monitor changes and to establish long-term
mospheric Administration, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife   management strategies to ensure their sustainabil-
Service. The primary purpose of the St. Croix sur-   ity. The survey built on work previously done by the
vey was to assist the U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S.V.I.) in   Anderson, as well as other agencies. An unexpected
developing strategies  and assessment tools  to de-   reward of the survey was discovery and identification
fine biocriteria for coral reefs. Biocriteria are narra-   of expansive flats of rhodoliths, colorful marine algae
tive descriptions or numeric values  that  represent   that resemble coral, in an area that initially appeared
the biological condition of the community. Standards   to be just sand flats.
based on biocriteria are powerful management tools,      The Bold also inventoried sensitive coral reef habi-
because biological communities are  dependable in-   tats in the vicinity of the Yabucoa ocean dredged ma-
dicators of the health of an  aquatic ecosystem. The   terial disposal site off the coast of southeast Puerto
survey provided U.S.V.I, managers with the data and   Rico. Data were collected with side scan sonar and
information needed  to develop a sound strategy for   a remotely-operated vehicle video. A current meter
monitoring  coral reefs for trends  in coral condition,   and sediment trap were also deployed  at the site,
as well as to make comparisons among various man-   and the  University of Puerto Rico's Research Vessel
agement zones.                                    Sultana retrieved them in the summer of 2006. The
   A side scan sonar survey, also in the U.S.V.I., sue-   current meter and sediment trap data will provide in-
cessfully provided comprehensive benthic imaging of   formation on whether the prevailing  currents in the
a 40-square mile area of shelf off the southern coast   area are bringing material from the disposal site to
of St. John. The side scan sonar data were  collected,   the sensitive reef habitats.
in conjunction with a video shot from a remotely-op-
erated vehicle. That work was done to characterize   Red tide assessment and monitoring
the structure of, and  quantify the extent  of, near-   From May to June of 2005, a massive algal bloom
shore habitats that support important fish species off   of  the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandhum fundyense
St. John. The data showed  that the area was rich in   occurred in the waters off southern  New England.
coral resources.  The habitats are  coral-based,  and   The bloom, also known as red tide, caused extensive
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
shellfish bed closures and major disruptions of local      The second survey, in July 2006, sought to deter-
economies from Maine to Massachusetts.            mine whether shellfish beds in federal and state wa-
   The Bold participated in two surveys in response   ters exposed to red tide in 2005 could be re-opened
to this red tide event. The first survey,  in Novem-   to  harvesting. Paralytic shellfish poison levels were
ber 2005, mapped A. fundyense  cysts  in bottom   measured  in specimens such as moon snails, blue
sediments off the coast of Massachusetts. The cyst   mussels,  ocean  quahogs, and sea  scallops,  and
stage allows this species to remain dormant in bot-   compared to the abundance of the red tide algae. The
torn sediments even under adverse  conditions. Cysts   effort by the Bold was the first survey dedicated to
are important in bloom initiation, regulating both the   this task since the waters were closed a year earlier.
size of the initial cell inoculums in surface waters and   Certain waters were opened to selective shell fishing
the location of blooms, but encystment also allows   by the end of 2006, though closures due to red tide
the species to disperse and colonize new areas. A   still remain. Woods Hole Oceanographic  Institution
massive  bloom in  1972  introduced  the organism   scientists have used cyst distribution data collected
into western Gulf of Maine waters,  leading to recur-   in the 2005 Bold survey (as well as information from
rent outbreaks over the following decades. There is   other surveys) as  initial input into coupled biological-
concern that the organism is expanding southward,   physical models to simulate the 2006 bloom dynam-
Given the high cell concentrations of cysts observed   ics in near real-time. The July 2006 survey of cell and
in the water column during the 2005 bloom, many of   hydrographic observations by the Bold were used to
the cysts may have dropped to bottom  sediments,   verify the results of those simulations.
This could lead to colonization  in southern New Eng-
land waters which have historically been virtually free   Coastal water, sediment, and organism
of A. Fundyense. High concentrations of  toxic cells   toxicity assessments
were observed in the water column south of Martha's   The Bold performed surveys to  assess contaminant
Vineyard that could potentially  seed the depositional   concentrations in  sediments, water, and organisms.
areas, causing future blooms  the  following  spring.      A Bold survey provided essential data to support
Although there were high  concentrations of cells in   contaminant fate modeling by the New York/New Jer-
the water column, there was a low number of cysts   sey Harbor Contaminant Assessment and Reduction
found in the sediments.                            Project (CARP). The goal of the project was to clean
                                              EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
up sediments in New York and New Jersey Harbors.   1990s, EPA requires removal of materials meeting or
Data from the survey will also be used to support the   exceeding the 50 ppm limit from these vessels. In cer-
development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)   tain cases, solid materials manufactured with PCBs
for contaminants in the harbor. EPA Region 2, the New   greater than or equal to 50 ppm can remain onboard
York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program (one of the   if a risk-based disposal approval has been obtained
28 National  Estuary Programs nationwide), and the   under TSCA.  Many former military vessels that were
New York State Department of Environmental  Con-   reefed prior to that time were not tested, and PCB-
servation worked together to collect large volume wa-   contaminated materials were not removed.
ter samples along the boundary of the New York Bight      Many  vessels procured by states for reefing are
at the edge  of the continental shelf. This is the area   non-military commercial vessels, such as freighters,
of the Atlantic Ocean north of the line  between  Mon-   barges, and tugs.  Much less is known about the us-
tauk, New York, and Cape May,  New  Jersey.  In ad-   age of PCB-bearing materials on older non-military
dition to water samples, zooplankton and air samples   vessels. The level of testing and  clean-up for non-
will also  be analyzed  for polychlorinated biphenyls   military vessels has historically been much less than
(PCBs), dioxins/furans, pesticides and perfluorinated   for warships. The Bold conducted a screening survey
compounds  to assess contaminant contribution from   off the coast of Florida of reefed former military and
those factors.                                      non-military vessels to determine if traces of PCBs are
   Another contaminant assessment survey evaluat-   present in tissues of organisms that inhabit the vessel
ed PCB levels in organisms that inhabit artificial reefs   reefs. The information and data gathered in the survey
created from sunken vessels. The Maritime Adminis-   will help determine if a problem in the identified areas
tration and the Department of the Navy have a number   exists, and if so, will help to determine what corrective
of decommissioned vessels available to states for use   actions should be taken. In addition, the data may be
as artificial reefs. It is known that military vessels, par-   useful for  assessment of needed clean-up actions for
ticularly those commissioned prior to the late 1970's,   vessels intended to be sunk as artificial reefs.
contain  a variety of  materials  manufactured with      The Bold was also used for the collection  of ben-
PCBs. Some materials contain levels of PCBs that ex-   thic organisms and/or sediment in the Gulf of Mexico,
ceed the 50  parts per million (ppm) limit for handling,   Massachusetts Bay, and the South Atlantic Bight for
transportation, storage, and disposal as regulated by   contaminant analysis. Samples are analyzed for met-
the Toxic Substance  Control Act (TSCA). Since the   als, pesticides, PCBs, and dioxins to determine back-

Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
ground levels in the coastal and offshore environment.     A bacterial contamination study investigated wa-
The data will be used in the development of regional  ters  near a Virginia Beach  ocean outfall. Levels  of
guidance for evaluation of dredged material testing  bacterial contamination due to enterococci were as-
results and in the monitoring of disposal sites.         sessed. The intent of these efforts aboard the Bold
                                                 was  to determine if water quality standards are being
Fish waste disposal site assessment        met  at the outfall.
and monitoring                                   Another study took place  in the Caribbean Sea.
The Bold supported two surveys at a shellfish waste  The Virgin Islands Rum Industries, Ltd. (VIRIL) ocean
disposal site off the Virginia Capes. The objective of  discharge had been assessed and the site character-
the surveys  was to evaluate the effect of this  dis-  ized  biologically in a 2003 survey.  The results of the
posal on the marine environment. Is the site being  2003 survey found the potential for aquatic toxicity
degraded by the placement of shellfish waste? Data  and detrimental light attenuation. Field observations,
and information provided by the investigation will de-  including video footage of the outfall,  discharge and
termine if water quality standards are being met.      surrounding area, as well as light penetration moni-
                                                 toring, were obtained from the site.  The data ob-
Coastal eutrophication assessment          tained from  the 2006 survey will  help scientists  to
The coastal  eutrophication survey aboard the Bold  evaluate if the VIRIL discharge is adversely affecting
was a continuation  of an established coastal trend  the marine environment.
monitoring plan that is examining eutrophication in
the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Data from the survey will help  Disposal site surveys
determine if coastal eutrophication  off the  coasts  The  U.S. Coast Guard sank two vessels in the vicin-
of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware is  improving or  ity of the Portland Ocean Dredged Material Disposal
worsening, and what management actions should be  Site. The Bold utilized side scan sonar and was suc-
considered.                                       cessful in  locating the exact  location of one of the
                                                 vessels. Scientists can now evaluate if the  vessels
Ocean outfall monitoring                      are negatively affecting the disposal site.
Two surveys  of the impacts of ocean outfall discharg-     The Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site was his-
es upon coastal waters were supported by the Bold  torically used for not only dredged material disposal,
in 2006.                                          but also for disposal of industrial waste, such as con-

                                              EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
struction debris, munitions, and barreled toxic waste.
Though the dumping of industrial waste at this site
was terminated in 1976, the waste could still be ad-
versely affecting the environment today. A Bold sur-
vey conducted in 2006 determined the location and
condition of the barrels thought to contain hazardous
and low level  radioactive waste. The data will as-
sist in determining whether the historically disposed
waste poses a threat to human health, and will help
to identify any necessary actions to  protect human
and ecosystem health.
challenging issues facing the health of marine wa-
ters when in  port  between scientific surveys. The
Bold has been host to Coastal America educational
events as well as open to the public. Events in New
York,  Puerto  Rico, and the U.S. Virgin  Islands re-
vealed substantial interest by the public and broad-
cast media.  Governors  Charles Turnbull (U.S.V.I.)
and John Baldacci (Maine), as well as a number of
EPA senior executives, have all had the opportunity
to tour the ship and to learn about its many scien-
tific capabilities.
Public education on EPA oceans and
coastal programs
In addition to scientific surveys, the Bold was used
as a platform for public environmental education on
Surveys in 2007
• Gulf of Mexico hypoxia assessment and
  monitoring
• Maintaining depth of shipping channels to
  U.S. ports: Ocean dredged material disposal sites
  assessment and monitoring
• Coastal water, sediment, and organism toxicity
  assessments
• Evaluation of the Historic Area Remediation
  Site of New York and New Jersey
• Survey in support of an Environmental Impact
  Assessment, Long Island Sound
• Coral reef monitoring and biocriteria development
• Coastal eutrophication assessment
• Ocean outfall monitoring
            At port in Corpus Christi, Texas, Bold Captain
Jere Chamberlain takes time to show schoolchildren the ship.
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
      Edward McLean: OSV Anderson
           ship manager, 1978-1999.
                                                                The OSVXlndereon, EPA's coastal and
                                                                   oceans survey vessel, 1979-2005.
Ocean Survey Vessel  Peter W.
Anderson Top Accomplishments
(1979-2005)
The Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Peter W. Anderson
served as the Agency's oceans and coastal monitor-
ing vessel from 1979 until  it was retired in 2005. In
25 years of  monitoring and assessing our oceans
and coasts,  the Anderson performed many physi-
cal, chemical, and biological investigations that sup-
ported numerous EPA and state oceans and coastal
programs initiatives. The following are highlights of
the Anderson's accomplishments.
   1.  Responding to oil spills
     • A major oil well blew out on the sea floor level
       in the Gulf of Campeche (Mexican waters
       of the Gulf of Mexico). The Anderson joined
       NOAA survey vessels and aircraft to track the
   oil spill coming toward the U.S. Texas coast-
   line. Data provided by the Anderson helped
   NOAA to assess potential impacts of the spill
   and mitigation actions.
  • The Anderson played a major role in assess-
   ing the impacts of an oil spill from the Presi-
   dente Riveria oil tanker in Delaware Bay. The
   information collected and  provided to the
   Coast Guard enabled them to  appropriately
   place barriers to  protect critical habitats  on
   Pea Island, a major wading bird rookery.
2. Assessing the effects of toxic waste
  dumping at sea
  • The Anderson  assisted  in locating  contain-
   ers of arsenic  trioxide  that went overboard
   from a large container ship during a storm  off
   the coast of New Jersey. The two containers
                                            EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
      were located using the ship's side scan so-
      nar equipment. Serial numbers that identified
      the containers with arsenic trioxide were ob-
      tained through the use of a remotely operated
      vehicle (ROV) submersible equipped with a
      camera. All but 2 of the 104 barrels in the con-
      tainers that went overboard were recovered.
     • The Anderson, using  side scan  sonar  and
      ROVs, identified and assessed the location of
      barrels of toxic waste that were dumped in
      Massachusetts Bay from the 1960s to 1970s.
      The barrels  were  rusted through and emp-
      ty. This information  was included in NOAA
      charts to alert fishermen not to bottom trawl
      in that area.
     • EPA Office of Enforcement requested Ander-
      son assistance to find illegally dumped  bar-
      rels of toxic waste  in the  Mississippi River
      between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The
      Anderson located the barrels and provided
      information for successful enforcement ac-
      tion.
   3. Designating dredged material sites
     • The Anderson collected data for the Environ-
      mental Impact Statements for  the designa-
      tion of  over 100 dredged material dumpsites
      along the East Coast and Gulf Coast.
  •Anderson surveys assessed the dumping of
   dredged material in sensitive Gulf of Mexico
   coastal waters off of Tampa  Bay,  Florida.
   The findings resulted in the designation of a
   new ocean dumpsite for disposal of material
   dredged from Tampa  Bay 30 miles offshore.
4. Identifying sources of marine debris
  • Anderson surveys  identified the source of
   medical  waste, such as syringes,  found  on
   beaches of New Jersey and  New York. The
   debris was  alleged  to  be from the illegal
   dumping of hospital waste. After exhaustive
   studies by EPA scientists, it was determined
   the waste was washed down from city streets
   into combined storm  sewers  after  heavy
   rains.
5. Incineration of PCB wastes at sea
  • In the Gulf of Mexico, the Anderson support-
   ed the assessment of the  potential impacts
   of the fall-out of incineration  of PCB wastes
   upon ocean waters.  The Anderson tracked
   in the wake of the incinerator ship Vulcanus
   and measured air and water column param-
   eters from the  incinerator  plume discharge.
   While no adverse impacts were found, the
   incineration at sea program was canceled in
   the late 1980s.
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
6. Protecting coral reefs
  • The Anderson supported extensive studies in
   coastal Florida and Puerto Rico.
  • The Anderson was utilized as a support plat-
   form to conduct annual surveys of the Florida
   Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) as
   part of EPA's responsibilities under the Flor-
   ida Keys Water Quality  Protection Program
   (WQPP).  The coral monitoring portion of the
   WQPP annually surveyed 160 EPA fixed sites
   at 40 stations on 29 of the FKNMS reefs. This
   is one of the most comprehensive coral mon-
   itoring  programs in the world. By utilizing the
   Anderson, scientists  had a 100% sampling
   rate.
  • The Anderson supported a project in the U.S.
   Virgin  Islands that identified and character-
   ized benthic areas rich in coral structures that
   provided habitats for fish spawning.
  • In Puerto Rico, the Anderson surveyed ocean
   outfalls to assess impacts to coral reef habitat.
7. Special  studies on vessel impacts
  • The Anderson assisted the  U.S. Navy in  re-
   certifying overhauled nuclear submarines to
   ensure that they were running quietly.
  • The Anderson conducted an assessment in
   Massachusetts Bay on the impacts of motor
   boat noise on North Atlantic right whales.
  • Wastewater discharges from four cruise ships
   were surveyed by the Anderson to determine
   the amount of wastewater dilution.
8. Assessing impacts  of dumping activities on
  the marine environment
  • The Anderson  assisted in major oceano-
   graphic efforts to determine the impacts of
   sewage sludge dumping in a dump site 106
   miles off the New York/New Jersey harbor in
   up to 12,000 feet of water.
  • The Anderson supported  diver surveys of
   environmental effects of drilling muds dis-
   charged from drilling  platforms in the Gulf of
   Mexico.
9.  Supporting assessments of water quality
   and habitat in the Caribbean
  • The Anderson provided oceanographic survey
   support and training in the Dominican  Repub-
   lic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and  Virgin  Islands.
   Surveys included the assessment of the health
   of coral reefs, impacts of dumping of dredged
   material, and impacts  of sewage discharges.
                                          EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
                                                   10. Educating the public on oceans and
                                                      coastal issues
                                                     • In addition to performing scientific work, An-
                                                      derson was used by EPA for public education
                                                      programs on oceans and coastal protection.
                                                      On numerous occasions the Anderson and
                                                      crew were highlighted by the media, includ-
                                                      ing an appearance on "Good Morning Amer-
                                                      ica" with a story on how the Anderson was
                                                      protecting our oceans and coastal waters.
                      Anderson scientists work with a
                                sediment sampler.
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
OSV Bold facilities and technical
equipment
Scientific facilities
   Wet laboratory:  Equipped with sieve station
   (i.e., sieving table and trays), wash station with
   hot  and cold freshwater and saltwater, ice ma-
   chine (ice is for sample preservation), refrigerator,
   electronic navigation  data  ports, and  electronic
   navigation chart display with ship's location and
   navigation information.
   Survey operations center:  Equipped with
   refrigerators, freezers, sub-zero freezers, distilled
   water, computers, storage  space, microscopes,
   and about 85 linear feet of lab benches.
   Microbiology laboratory: Equipped with au-
   toclave and incubator.
   Data acquisition center: Equipped  with com-
   puter systems to support  digital data recorded
   from side scan sonar operations,  CTD deploy-
   ment, and underwater video filming.
Sampling equipment
   Klein 3000 side scan sonar: Produces digital
   acoustic images of ocean floor.
   Conductivity Temperature Depth  (CTD)
   water  profiler: Measures physical water char-
   acteristics in  situ  in  real-time throughout  the
   water column.
   Rosette:  Collects water  at  specified various
   depths  in  the water column.
This net is used by Bold scientists to collect plankton samples.

   Sediment sampling equipment: A variety of
   grabs and corers are available for the collection of
   sediments from the ocean floor.
   Sampling  nets:  Collect oceanic organisms,
   such as fish and plankton, from various depths in
   the water column.
   Dredges: Collect  oceanic organisms from the
   seafloor and sediments.
Diver operation capabilities
   Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boats  (RHIBs): At
   any time, the Bold carries two  RHIBS to support
   dive operations.
   Dive locker: Nitrox/Air compressor, 31 SCUBA
   tanks, diver communication devices (i.e., diver-
   to-diver,  diver-to-surface), diver recall system
   for emergency situations,  dry suits, and full face
   masks are available for use.
                                            EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------
OSV Bold scientific surveys,
August 2005- December 2006
Survey Location Date
Hurricane Katrina and Rita emergency
response
Gulf of Mexico hypoxia assessment
and monitoring
Maintaining depth of shipping channels
to U.S. ports: ocean dredged material
disposal sites assessment and
monitoring
Ocean dredged material disposal
reference site survey
Coral reef monitoring
Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
Dam Neck, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Brunswick, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Fernandina, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Key West, Florida
Miami, Florida
Port Everglades, Florida
Massachusetts Bay
Portland, Maine
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Gulf of Mexico
South Atlantic Bight
St. John, USVI
Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
October 2005
April 2006
June 2006
September 2006
December 2005 and August 2006
December 2005 and August 2006
May 2006
May 2006
April 2006
August 2005
August 2005 and May 2006
May 2006
May 2006
May 2006
July 2006
July 2006
January 2006
January 2006
April 2006
May 2006
February 2006
February 2006
Monitoring and Assessing the Health of Our Oceans and Coastal Waters

-------
OSV Bold scientific surveys, August 2005- December 2006 (Continued)
Survey Location Date
Coral reef biocriteria development
Red tide assessment and monitoring

Contaminant fate m
Coastal water,
sediment, and
organism toxicity
assessments
Coastal eutrophicat
Ocean outfall monit
Disposal site
surveys

odeling
Vessel artificial
reef PCB survey
Coastal fish tissue
contaminant
assessment
Fish waste
disposal site
monitoring
on assessment
Dring
Sunken vessel
monitoring
Historical
industrial waste
site survey
St. Croix, USVI
Southern New England
Gulf of Maine
New York and New Jersey Harbors
Pensacola, Florida
South Atlantic Bight
Southern Virginia
Mid-Atlantic Bight
Mid-Atlantic Bight
Virgin Islands Rum Industries Outfall,
USVI
Portland, Maine
Massachusettes Bay
February 2006
November 2005
July 2006
November 2005
October 2006
August 2006
December 2005 and August 2006
August 2006
August 2006
February 2006
July 2006
July 2006
                                           EPA's Ocean Survey Vessel Bold 2006 Annual Report

-------

-------