Prepared: June 14, 2007
In Brief:
EPA Headquarters hosted an open ship day onboard the Bold on May 20. Over 300 people toured the ship while it was docked at the
Inner Harbor in Baltimore. On May 27, students from the Norwich Free Academy, CT, took part in a 3 hour educational sampling expedition onboard the Bold in
Long Island Sound. The ship was open the rest of the day to the public at Fort Trumbull State Park, New London, CT. 
Administrator Johnson announced the release of the first OSV Bold Annual Report on June 5 at Capitol Hill Oceans Week. You can
access the report at
http://www.epa.gov/owow/osvbold/report2006.html.
The OSV Bold completed four surveys and two open ship events from April through June.
Survey 1: Baseline condition assessment at a new disposal site
A new dredged material disposal site is being designated off the coast of Louisiana. The Gulfport Offshore Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site will support
the deepening and widening of a navigation channel. Scientists mapped the sediments in and immediately surrounding the site to determine baseline conditions
against which future monitoring will be compared.
Survey duration: April 9-14, 2007
Chief Scientist: Christopher McArthur (EPA Region 4)
Survey partners: University of Georgia Center for Applied Isotope Studies
Survey 2: Impact of pipelines on the benthic marine environment
Scientists, using side scan sonar and video imagery, mapped the seafloor in western Long Island Sound near the Iroguois gas pipeline and near a proposed pipeline
site to collect information about the area and to identify critical benthic habitats. The data will contribute to understanding the effects of cable and pipeline
crossings on the marine environment and will inform future projects.
Survey duration: May 29-June 2, 2007
Chief Scientist: Matthew Liebman (EPA Region 1)
Survey partners: University of Connecticut's National Undersea Research Center and Department of Marine Sciences, and Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection
Survey 3: Gulf of Mexico hypoxia study (first of three planned in 2007)
The purpose of the survey was to characterize the magnitude and variability of physical, chemical, and biological processes in the water column and sediments
along coastal Louisiana in spring. Data from this and other seasonal surveys provide new insight into oceanographic conditions during times typically preceding
peak river discharges when hypoxic conditions in bottom waters are either not present or just beginning to develop. The data will also aid in the development
of a high resolution 3-D model of the hypoxic zone. This model could help to determine a loading threshold using Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
Survey duration: April 20-May 8, 2007
Chief Scientist: George Craven (EPA ORD Gulf Ecology Division)
Survey 4: Historic disposal site monitoring
A disposal site off the coast of New York that was historically used for contaminated dredged material is currently being remediated. Side scan sonar data
and physical characterization of sediment data were collected and will be used to assess the condition of the remediated surfaces, including changes to the
benthic community and movement of materials at and around the site.
Survey duration: June 7-30, 2007
Chief Scientist: Doug Pabst/Charles Lobue (EPA Region 2)
Survey partners: US Army Corps of Engineers
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