Unique aerial of the Offshore-Windpark (OWP) five kilometers off the coast of Copenhagen, Denmark. Converted from RAW.

Congratulations to CSS employee owners supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science for their nomination for the NOAA Gold Medal Award! CSS employee owners have been critical members of the team charged with the rapid development of spatial models that aid in offshore wind planning in the Gulf of Mexico. The team has collected authoritative data, developed maps and spatial models, engaged with partners, and managed the project to inform siting of ocean use, environmental review, and permitting. This effort provides guidance to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the agency responsible for identifying and leasing wind energy areas. This is a tremendous accomplishment that advances the President’s offshore wind energy priority and notably reduces conflict. 

A big congratulations to the entire team of NOAA and CSS employee owners on this well-deserved nomination!

Map of Gulf of Mexico waters showing principal ports and two options for wind energy areas.
Map of Gulf of Mexico showing shipping lanes in blue lines and wind energy areas identified in yellow blocks.

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Satellite image of a hurricane over the Gulf of America

Hurricane Helene One Year Later: Shedding Light on the Impact 

It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage throughout the southern Appalachia region, especially Tennessee and North Carolina, where several rivers experienced above-record flooding. CSS employee owners (previously Riverside Technology, inc.) supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) helped develop a Hurricane Helene StoryMap, Helene in Southern Appalachia, a dynamic tool that integrates diverse…

global map of daily rainfall

Fueling NOAA’s Scientific Partnerships 

Maintaining NOAA’s active global climate tracking requires seamless collaboration with top-tier universities, research labs, and private contractors. In support of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, CSS program manager for Climate Data Records (CDR) has managed complex budget plans and contract modifications, securing crucial funding for essential climate variables. This effort directly preserved funding for CRDs including the Total Solar Irradiance CDR (which measures the Sun’s energy…

Examining Cetaceans for Contamination and Pathogens

CSS has employee owners who are experts in monitoring cetacean health. Several CSS scientists supporting NOAA’s Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have recently conducted research and tests on marine mammals to explore uncommon behaviors and causes for strandings. View some examples of this research below. Microplastics are becoming increasingly abundant in coastal and marine environments.…