UK-based Wessex Archaeology and U.S. company Coastal Environments Inc. (CEI) have partnered to provide a suite of marine archaeological and cultural resource services designed to meet the needs of offshore renewable projects in the United States.
According to Wessex, the newly-established offshore renewables team brings together expertise and capacity in archaeology, geophysics and geoarchaeology, in combination with expertise on BOEM’s Guidelines for Providing Archaeological and Historic Property Information , offshore wind farm development and cultural resource permitting, and regulatory planning for Section 106 and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
In 2010, Wessex Archaeology implemented a draft Protocol for Archaeological Discoveries for offshore renewables in the UK, which helped protect hundreds of archaeological discoveries that offered insight into the past environment of the Dogger Bank area of the North Sea and evidence of rich maritime heritage.
Since then, Wessex Archaeology has worked with developers and the Crown Estate to further update and refine the Protocol, with the Crown Estate launching the final Protocol in September 2014.
Wessex Archaeology has supplied archaeological services for over 90% of all the UK’s offshore wind farm schemes, and has experience in all stages from pre-planning and scoping to post-construction monitoring. The company’s EIA work includes walkover surveys on land and intertidal areas, and geoarchaeological assessment of offshore cores.
CEI specialises in cultural resource management using an interdisciplinary approach and has conducted underwater archaeology for 40 years. The company is committed to offering oceanographic, coastal engineering and environmental consulting services in the industry.