Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – Open Water Capabilities

The Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory (MCRL) is the U.S. Department of Energy's only marine research facility. With over 15,000 ft2 of laboratory space and location at the mouth of Sequim Bay in Washington state, MCRL is uniquely positioned for marine-based research in the lab or in the water. MCRL research is supported by more than 80 staff members with expertise in biotechnology, biogeochemistry, ecosystems science, earth systems modeling, and in-water field work.

MCRL has federal authorizations and state and local permits for in-water research activities at two locations in the Straits of Juan de Fuca, Washington. These sites offer a range of research conditions from a quiet, low-energy environment inside Sequim Bay, to increased exposure to currents in the Sequim Bay channel, and a higher-energy wave environment at Clallam Bay.

PNNL and the U.S. Department of Energy have worked with federal, state, tribal and local governments to obtain permits for research at or near MCRL. The following activities may be suitable under TEAMER:

• Installation of equipment on or in the seabed
• Installation of floating platforms or moored buoys
• Installation of scientific equipment and cables on the MSL dock, pier, and the Sequim Bay channel
• Deployment and operation of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)
• Habitat and species surveys and sediment sampling
• Use of vessels and scientific dive team for deployment of research equipment
• Operation of acoustic or emitting devices at select frequencies
• Electromagnetic fields studies to test potential impacts to the marine environment

Point of Contact - Nichole Sather - nichole.sather@pnnl.gov