PC-23-01: BOEM-MARINe (Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network) | M23AS00335

Opportunity Information: Apply for M23AS00335

PC-23-01: BOEM-MARINe (Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network) is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) discretionary funding opportunity structured as a cooperative agreement to continue and apply long-running rocky intertidal monitoring in areas influenced by Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) activities. The core goal is straightforward: evaluate how offshore energy and related OCS operations may affect rocky shore species and communities along the coast, using an established, scientifically consistent monitoring network rather than starting from scratch with short-term studies.

The project is built around MARINe, a multi-agency rocky intertidal monitoring program with more than two decades of continuous data, especially at sites adjacent to OCS facilities off southern California. That long time series is the key value of the work. Rocky intertidal ecosystems change with seasons, climate cycles, storms, disease events, and human pressures, so having standardized observations over many years makes it possible to separate normal variability from changes that might be linked to offshore development, routine operations, or accidents such as spills. The opportunity emphasizes that these datasets are relied on by National Parks, National Marine Sanctuaries, California state agencies, and the public to support decisions about water quality management, protected area oversight, public health considerations, and stewardship of natural resources.

A major reason BOEM is supporting this effort is the way MARINe data have already been used in real-world regulatory and legal contexts. The monitoring results have contributed to oil spill resource damage assessments and have informed endangered species and listing consultations, including work relevant to black abalone. The data have also supported California Marine Protected Area designations and evaluations for California Areas of Special Biological Significance. In other words, the program is not only collecting ecological information, but producing evidence that agencies can use when they have to quantify harm, determine recovery trajectories, or justify management actions.

The grant description also highlights the importance of MARINe for spill response and recovery science. Because the monitoring sites and methods are established, MARINe can provide both baseline conditions and post-incident comparisons that are essential for estimating damages and predicting ecological recovery after oil exposure. The opportunity notes that MARINe data have been applied to multiple offshore California spill events, including a federal pipeline spill, two tanker spills, and a pipeline spill near several platforms in 2015. This history underscores why BOEM views continued monitoring as a readiness and accountability tool, not just a research exercise.

While southern California is a central focus due to the proximity of OCS facilities, the opportunity also points to sites offshore of Oregon. Those Oregon MARINe sites, located near a potential lease area, help establish baseline shoreline conditions before potential deployment of wave energy devices. They also create a strong latitudinal comparison with California, which improves the ability to interpret trends and supports future baseline assessments in other areas that may be considered under BOEMs national oil and gas program. That comparative element matters because it helps distinguish local impacts from broader regional shifts, including climate-driven change.

From a statutory and programmatic perspective, the work is framed as part of BOEMs responsibility under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to monitor marine and coastal environments adjacent to OCS operations. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically implies substantial involvement by the federal agency in coordinating, guiding, or collaborating on the work as it proceeds. The notice specifies this as a single-source cooperative agreement with the University of California, Santa Cruz, indicating that BOEM intends the award to go to UCSC rather than through a fully open competition.

Key administrative details from the opportunity include the funding opportunity number M23AS00335, CFDA 15.423, and an award ceiling of $2,575,000. The listed eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and other entities, but the single-source designation clarifies the intended recipient for this particular action. The opportunity was created on 2023-06-30 and had an original closing date of 2023-07-31.

• The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "PC-23-01: BOEM-MARINe (Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,575,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for M23AS00335

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