Block Island Research Articles

Do views of offshore wind energy detract? A hedonic price analysis of the Block Island wind farm in Rhode Island

Social concern and disapproval of offshore wind by coastal communities causes delays and costs to offshore wind development. One concern is property value impacts stemming from a loss of pristine ocean views. We evaluate this concern using the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF), the first of its kind in the United States. While the BIWF has fewer turbines than currently proposed offshore wind developments, it is situated about 26 km [16 miles] from the Rhode Island mainland, which is a policy relevant distance, given that proposed US developments tend to be 21–32 km from coastlines. Using properties from the mainland, we estimate difference-in-differences hedonic valuation models with treatment defined by views of BIWF. Across many specifications and samples, we find no evidence of negative impacts to property values. Coefficient estimates are both negative and positive, but none are statistically distinguishable from zero. We additionally estimate hedonic models using properties on Block Island, which is only 4.8 km from the BIWF, meaning the BIWF is more of a visually dominant feature there as compared to the mainland. These models similarly find insignificant effects of views. In sum, our findings suggest that the viewshed impacts of the BIWF were minimal.

More than a feeling: Analyzing community cognitive and affective perceptions of the Block Island offshore wind project

In this article, we study local perceptions of the Block Island Offshore Wind Project (United States) by evaluating both cognitive (rational) and affective (emotional) responses with the goal of learning about how each relates to project support and opposition and how a nearby island population differs from that of the coastal residents farther away. Multivariate regression is used and relies on a dual-process model of evaluation. Both the island and coastal populations break down similarly in terms of the strength of cognitive and affective influencers, with an affective model explaining more variance than a cognitive one. A combined model performed the strongest and emotions still tend to dominate. Community engagers, both developers and regulators, must address renewable energy transitions in culturally and environmentally sensitive places through incorporation of affective perception components and other holistic approaches.

An efficient simulation model for layout and mode performance evaluation of robotic mobile fulfillment systems

The robotic mobile fulfillment system (RMFS) is a “goods to man” picking system that employs numerous automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) instead of workers to transport goods from the storage station to the picking station. Using smarter AGVs enhances the performance but also leads to layout problems and the challenge of efficiently estimating the system performance with various layouts. With the same capability of storage, the different row and column of storage position area can lead to different system performance. The number of combinations of rows and columns is huge which makes it time-consuming to compare all the combinations to find the best one, and different path modes (unidirectional path mode and bidirectional path mode) and different number of AGVs further complicate the problem. Quickly modeling and performance estimating of RMFS become the biggest challenge for logistics enterprise. In this paper, according to the modular simulation theory, an efficient model based on discrete-event system simulation is proposed for quickly constructing different RMFS layouts and estimating their performance. The model contains two independent components: a physical component and a control component. The nuclear module for physical component is the track module that forms all tracks and can be temporarily or permanently blocked to satisfy the requirements of both unidirectional and bidirectional path mode models. The main functions of the control component are routing, collision prediction, and collision avoidance. The physical and control components are independent but work together to construct and run a certain model according to the input parameters; thus, an RMFS model can be efficiently built by simply entering parameters. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the RMFS in different layouts with various numbers of AGVs in both the unidirectional and bidirectional path modes. The results indicated that in the same layout, the bidirectional path mode can reach the summit output with fewer AGVs. The experimental results also indicated that in a large-scale RMFS, vertically arranging the storage station on the block island and then horizontally positioning the block island can result in a higher output than other layouts. In addition, the experimental results indicated that the proposed model can quickly construct different RMFS layouts and efficiently determine the best scheme.

An Ultra Facile Debonding Method to Develop a Superhydrophobic Surface Based on a Polymer Composite Film

AbstractFlexible and thin polymer surfaces with superhydrophobic characteristic have great prospects in many engineering fields, such as self‐cleaning, ice‐proofing, and drag reduction. However, the large‐scale practical applications of superhydrophobic materials are still rarely reported and generally impeded by the existing fabrication methods due to the limits of complicated procedures, toxic solvent applications, harsh conditions occasionally, high cost and low yield. Herein, an ultra‐facile one‐step debonding method to develop superhydrophobic surface based on multilayer extruded macromolecular PA/PE composite film is developed. By employing thermoplasticity and extensibility of polymer film, the pristine smooth PA/PE film could get hierarchical microscale grass‐like, block island and groove structures on its surface, forming an open air‐pockets layer, which endows the normal film with new features of superhydrophobicity, low water adhesion, self‐cleaning and ice‐proofing with inexpensive, environmentally friendly, simple, and fast fabricating strategy.

Analysis of underwater sounds from impact pile driving at the Block Island Wind Farm

Impact pile driving creates intense, impulsive sound that radiates into the surrounding environment. Piles driven vertically into the seabed generate an azimuthally symmetric underwater sound field whereas piles driven on an angle will generate an azimuthally dependent sound field. Measurements were made during impact pile driving of raked piles to secure jacket foundation structures to the seabed at the Block Island Wind Farm at ranges between 500 m and 15 km. These measurements were analyzed to investigate variations in rise time, decay time, pulse duration, kurtosis, and sound received levels as a function of range and azimuth. Variations in the radiated sound field along opposing azimuths resulted in differences in measured sound exposure levels of up to 10 dB and greater due to the pile rake as the sound propagated in range. The raked pile configuration was modeled using an equivalent axisymmetric FEM model to describe the azimuthally dependent measured sound fields and compared to the measured data. These measurements made during wind farm construction will be presented and discussed. [Work supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.]

Demersal fish and invertebrate catches relative to construction and operation of North America's first offshore wind farm

Abstract Effects of offshore wind farm (OSW) development in the US on fishery resources have been predicted based on European experience. A seven-year study of the first US OSW documented the response of demersal fish and invertebrates to construction and operation. Local fishermen and scientists designed a monthly demersal trawl survey using a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) design to assess potential effects of Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF), a pilot scale 30 MW project completed in 2016. Common species did not exhibit statistically significant (α = 0.10) BACI interactions in catch per unit effort (CPUE) due to BIWF operation. CPUE of structure-oriented species, such as black sea bass (Centropristis striata) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), increased at BIWF following turbine installation. Fall and spring biomass varied synchronously between BIWF and a regional survey for several species including longfin squid (Loligo pealeii) and winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus). Spatial-temporal interaction between reference areas provided an estimate of the minimum effect sizes (approximately 40% to 63% among the fish evaluated) that may be considered ecologically significant when assessing potential OSW impacts. Results from this first North American OSW fisheries monitoring study provide valuable information for future OSW development on the northeastern US coastline.

Fat Stores and Antioxidant Capacity Affect Stopover Decisions in Three of Four Species of Migratory Passerines With Different Migration Strategies: An Experimental Approach

During migratory stopovers, birds must make decisions about when and where to travel and these decisions are likely contingent on their fuel stores, food availability, and antioxidant capacity as well as seasonal changes in key environmental factors. We conducted a field experiment on an offshore stopover site (Block Island, Rhode Island, United States: 41°130N, 71°330W) during autumn migration to test the hypothesis that birds with greater fuel stores and non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity have shorter stopovers than lean birds with low antioxidant capacity, and to determine the extent to which this depends on migration strategy. We used a 2 × 2 factorial field experiment (two levels each of available food and dietary polyphenols) with four species of songbirds kept in captivity for 3–5 days to produce experimental groups with different fuel stores and antioxidant capacity. We attached digital VHF transmitters to assess stopover duration and departure direction using automated telemetry. Non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity increased during refueling for Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus) and Blackpoll Warblers (Setophaga striata) fedad libdiets, and forad libfed Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) supplemented with polyphenols, but not for Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata coronata). Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased during captivity and was influenced by dietary treatment only in Red-eyed Vireos. Oxidative damage decreased during captivity for all species except Yellow-rumped Warblers. Stopover duration was shorter for Vireos and Blackpolls fedad libas compared to those fed maintenance.Ad libfed Hermit Thrushes supplemented with polyphenols had shorter stopovers than those fedad lib, as did thrushes fed at maintenance and supplemented with polyphenols compared with those fed at maintenance alone. There was no influence of condition on stopover duration for Yellow-rumped Warblers. Departure direction was not strongly related to condition, and birds primarily reoriented north when departing Block Island. Thus, fat stores and oxidative status interacted to influence the time passerines spent on stopover, and condition-dependent departure decisions were related to a bird’s migration strategy. Therefore, seasonal variation in macro- and micro-nutrient resources available for refueling at stopover sites can affect body condition and antioxidant capacity and in turn influence the timing and success of migration.

Horizontal refraction and diffraction of underwater sound around an island.

The three-dimensional (3D) propagation effects of horizontal refraction and diffraction were measured on a tetrahedral hydrophone array deployed near the coast of Block Island, RI. Linear frequency modulated chirp signals, centered at 1 kHz with a 400 Hz bandwidth, were transmitted from a ship moving out of the acoustic shadow zone blocked by the island from the perspective of the hydrophone array. The observed shadow zone boundary was consistent with the prediction made by a 3D sound propagation model incorporating high-resolution bathymetry and realistic sound speed obtained from a data-assimilated regional ocean model. The 3D modal ray calculation provided additional insight into the frequency dependence of the signal spreading. This analysis found that the modes at higher frequencies can propagate closer to the coast of the island with shallower modal cutoff depths, where the sound energy penetrates the sloping seafloor at supercritical incidence. The evidence of horizontal caustics of the sound was shown in the parabolic equation and modal ray models by comparing to the arrival pattern observed in the data. The arrival angle measurements on the tetrahedral array show the complex propagation patterns, including the diffracted energy in the island shadow and acoustic energy refracted away from the island.

Moths of Block Island (Rhode Island, USA) I: Zygaenoidea

As a result of surveying effort since 2015, I herein report 7 species of Zygaenoidea from Block Island, a small offshore island in southern New England with a history of intensive agricultural use. I quantify species phenology and local abundance, compare the island's fauna to those of nearby landmasses and the broader region, and discuss possible future colonization of Block Island by additional species as well as the likely factors behind the composition of the island's zygaenoid fauna.

First hemispheric report of invasive tick species Haemaphysalis punctata, first state report of Haemaphysalis longicornis, and range expansion of native tick species in Rhode Island, USA

BackgroundInvasive arthropod vectors and the range expansions of native vectors can lead to public and veterinary health concerns, as these vectors may introduce novel pathogens or spread endemic pathogens to new locations. Recent tick invasions and range expansion in the USA has been attributed to climate and land use change, an increase in global travel, and importations of exotic animals.MethodsA 10-year surveillance study was conducted on Block Island, Rhode Island, from 2010 to 2020 including sampling ticks from small mammal and avian hosts.ResultsWe report the discovery and establishment of the red sheep tick (Haemaphysalis punctata) for the first time in the western hemisphere and in the US. This invasive species was first collected in 2010 on Block Island, was collected continuously throughout the study, and was collected from an avian host. We document the first report of the invasive Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) in the state of Rhode Island, first observed at our sites in 2018. Finally, we present data on the range expansion and establishment of two native tick species, the lone star tick and the rabbit tick, on Block Island.ConclusionThis study emphasized the importance of long-term surveillance to detect changes in tick host communities, including invasive and expanding native vectors of potential significance to humans and wildlife.Graphical abstract

Consistent Predictability of the Ocean State Ocean Model Using Information Theory and Flushing Timescales

AbstractThe Ocean State Ocean Model (OSOM) is an application of the Regional Ocean Modeling System spanning the Rhode Island waterways, including Narragansett Bay, Mt. Hope Bay, larger rivers, and the Block Island Shelf circulation from Long Island to Nantucket. This study discusses the physical aspects of the estuary (Narragansett and Mount Hope Bays and larger rivers) to evaluate physical circulation predictability. This estimate is intended to help decide if a forecast and prediction system is warranted, to prepare for coupling with biogeochemistry and fisheries models with widely disparate timescales, and to find the spin‐up time needed to establish the climatological circulation of the region. Perturbed initial condition ensemble simulations are combined with metrics from information theory to quantify the predictability of the OSOM forecast system–i.e., how long anomalies from different initial conditions persist. The predictability timescale in this model agrees with readily estimable timescales such as the freshwater flushing timescale evaluated using the total exchange flow (TEF) framework, indicating that the estuarine dynamics rather than chaotic transport is the dominant model behavior limiting predictions. The predictability of the OSOM is ∼7–40 days, varying with parameters, region, and season.

Index to Titles and Authors/Editors of Books Reviewed

Index to Titles and Authors/Editors of Books Reviewed

Offshore wind farm effects on flounder and gadid dietary habits and condition on the northeastern US coast

The first offshore wind farm in North America, Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF), was built on a pilot scale (five 6 MW turbines) approximately 5 km southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island. Potential effects of the BIWF on dietary habits were examined for fish collected in a trawl survey conducted monthly over 7 years (October 2012 to September 2019). Stomach content analysis was conducted on 3457 flounder, gadids, and black sea bass collected near BIWF and in 2 reference areas during baseline, construction, and operation time periods. Other trophic metrics such as fish condition, stomach fullness, and % empty stomachs were examined for an effect of wind farm operation. Temporal variation in trophic metrics was more common than spatial differences, with no consistent indication of an effect of wind farm operation across metrics or species. Prey accumulation curves indicated that diets were adequately characterized with sample sizes of approximately 40 stomachs for most time period by area combinations. Diet composition of hakes and flounder in all areas included a greater proportion of mysids and amphipods during the wind farm operation time period. Summer flounder and winter flounder condition was lower during the operation time period in all areas. Inclusion of mussels and associated epifauna (mysids) in fish diets following turbine installation indicate fish forage on the colonized turbines. Although substantial changes to fish diets were not evident at BIWF, cumulative trophic effects of larger wind farms should be examined as the offshore wind industry expands on the northeastern US coastline.

The Use of Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) to Noninvasively Characterize a White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Nursery Area off Eastern Long Island, New York

AbstractUnderstanding if a discrete region fits three key criteria for shark nursery area designation is of utmost importance. Such a designation within United States territorial waters could result in the implementation of an Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) classification, a determination facilitating species protection. In this study, baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) were used to determine if they could effectively confirm a previously identified white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) nursery area south of Montauk, New York, so that the technique may be applied in other potential nursery areas. During experimentation, 1,348.32 h of video data were collected between Region A (Block Island Sound; 674.16 h), outside of the previously identified nursery area, and Region B (Atlantic Ocean; 674.16 h), within the identified nursery area. From the video data, 35 sightings of C. carcharias were recorded, with 31 unique individuals identified. Data associated with Region B fit all three nursery area criteria: (a) young-of-the-year (YOY) and juvenile sharks were more commonly found in this region over Region A (p < 0.001), (b) several YOY and juvenile sharks (n = 4) were resighted in this region within a given year (e.g., average resighting duration: 10.5 days), and (c) YOY and juvenile sharks exhibited repeated use of this region over multiple years. We conclude that BRUVS can be used for fine-scale analyses to help designate a discrete area(s) as a shark nursery, even in turbid New York waters. Therefore, using BRUVS to identify shark nursery areas is a viable and noninvasive approach that can contribute to species conservation.

762. Climate Change and the Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi over 25 Years in Rhode Island

BackgroundThe Ixodes scapularis tick (deer tick or black-legged tick) is the primary vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Climatic conditions, specifically temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall, have been shown to affect I. scapularis tick densities. We hypothesized that temperature and moisture correlate with the frequency of human Lyme disease.MethodsWe have carried out a biannual B. burgdorferi serosurvey on Block island, Rhode Island over the past 25 years using a standard B. burgdorferi two-tier ELISA and Western blot assay. Residents of the Island were invited to participate and we only used first visit results. We analyzed B. burgdorferi seroprevalence and weather pattern trends (temperature, rainfall, relative humidity) among a cohort of 2,439 Block Island residents over the past 25 years.ResultsDuring the months in which ticks are active, we found that both temperature and relative humidity increased on Block Island over the past 25 years (p=0.04 and p=0.03, respectively). We also found that the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi on the Island increased over the course of the study (p< 0.01), and that increased temperature and moisture in a given season is associated with increased B. burgdorferi seroprevalence in the following season. For example, we found that every inch increase in total rainfall in a given season was associated with a 2% (95% CI 1.01-1.03) increase in the odds of B. burgdorferi seropositivity during the following season. Similarly, we found that every degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature in the spring was associated with a 2% (95% CI 1.02-1.03) increase in the odds of seropositivity in the fall.ConclusionWe conclude that increasing temperature and moisture are associated with increased frequency of B. burgdorferi infection in humans.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Effects of the Block Island Wind Farm on Coastal Resources: Lessons Learned

Effects of the Block Island Wind Farm on Coastal Resources: Lessons Learned

Offshore Wind Energy and Benthic Habitat Changes: Lessons from Block Island Wind Farm

Study concepts, oversight, and funding for the RODEO Program were provided by the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Environmental Studies Program, Washington, DC, under HDR’s IDIQ Contract No. M15P2.

Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Nymphal Survival and Host-Finding Success in the Eastern United States.

The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say) is the primary vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), the Lyme disease agent in North America. The basic reproduction number (R0) for B. burgdorferi in I. scapularis in the Northeast is highly sensitive to the probability that engorged larvae survive the winter, molt into nymphs, and find a host. These processes are dependent on local environmental variables, including climate, host population size and movement, and tick behavior. A simple model is presented for estimating host-finding success from the ratio of tick abundance in two subsequent years, accounting for overwinter survival and possible differences in host associations between nymphs and larvae. This model was parameterized using data from two sites in mainland Connecticut and two on Block Island, RI. Host abundance and tick burdens were estimated via mark-recapture trapping of the primary host, Peromyscus leucopus Rafinesque. Overwintering survival was estimated using engorged larvae placed in field enclosures at each site. Only nymphs were recovered alive, and no significant differences in model parameters were observed between Connecticut and Block Island. Host-finding success was predicted to be high across a wide range of host association patterns at three of four sites. Assuming equivalent host association between larvae and nymphs, R0 was also estimated to be greater than one at three of four sites, suggesting these conditions allow for the persistence of B. burgdorferi. The model output was highly sensitive to differences between nymphal and larval host associations.

Characterization of particle motion near offshore wind farm sites in the United States east coast

This study analyzes the particle motion data recorded on geophones and ocean bottom seismometers (OBXs) at various shallow water (water depth ∼30 m) locations in the U.S. east coast near offshore wind farms. The Block Island, Rhode Island site was the location of the first offshore wind farm in the United States. Data were collected at this site during three different deployments in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Particle motion measurements were made during construction and operation of the wind turbines during these deployments. Data collected on a 3-axis geophone will be discussed in this study. This sensor package included a 3-axis geophone and a co-located hydrophone. This 3-axis geophone measured the particle motion (particle velocity) in three mutually perpendicular directions along with acoustic pressure. The same sensor package was also deployed ten miles east of Ocean City, Maryland and near the Virginia wind farm. During this deployment, in addition to the geophone package, four Ocean Bottom Recorders (OBXs) were also deployed as a line array to record construction noise. Data from these deployments will be presented and compared with published data from other windfarm sites. [Work supported by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Environmental Studies Program]

Multi-modal Approach for Benthic Impact Assessments in Moraine Habitats: a Case Study at the Block Island Wind Farm

Benthic assessment techniques utilized in soft sediment areas are of limited utility in glacial moraine habitats that are structurally complex and largely composed of hard substrata. We present a multi-modal approach consisting of multibeam bathymetry, video, and still imagery that collectively provides the knowledge base necessary to perform impact assessments in these habitats. Baseline and post-construction surveys were conducted adjacent to the Block Island Wind Farm to develop and test these methodologies within the context of offshore wind development, specifically for detecting and documenting anchoring-related impacts to moraine habitats. Habitat data were evaluated using the substrate and biotic components of the national classification standard, the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, recommended by federal regulators, with modifications to present results in terms of predicted vulnerability to disturbance. Habitats near the wind farm were diverse and patchy, ranging from rippled gravelly sand to continuous cobble/boulder fields with high biotic cover. Anchor furrows were detected in moderate value habitats in bathymetric and video data. The multi-modal survey approach tested at the Block Island Wind Farm and presented here is now specifically recommended by federal agencies and is being used to inform efforts currently underway to map and assess benthic habitats for a number of U.S. projects seeking federal permits.