SEA-Scan: Structural and Environmental Algorithms for Sensing of Offshore Systems
Summary
SCH Number
2025120149
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
SEA-Scan: Structural and Environmental Algorithms for Sensing of Offshore Systems
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/4/2025
Document Description
This project will develop a novel, multi-modal system for detecting entanglements in floating offshore wind infrastructure. To accomplish this it will: (A) integrate sensors into the mature Spotter sensing system; and (B) develop a low-power artificial intelligence/machine learning node for on-board processing and machine learning training, which will limit data transmission expenses; and (C) develop machine learning algorithms, to enhance anomaly detection and characterization of fishing gear entanglements and marine animal detection in noisy, difficult-to-detect settings; and (D) integrate the data and machine learning with a physics-based numerical digital twin to alleviate data-limited constraints, enhancing the efficacy of the entanglement detection. The digital twin will also be used to output information on estimated mooring damage and remaining fatigue life.
Contact Information
Name
Chuck Gentry
Agency Name
California Energy Comission
Job Title
Commission Agreement Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Name
Justin Greenberg
Agency Name
Sofar Ocean Technologies, Inc.
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
Half Moon Bay, San Francisco
Counties
San Francisco, San Mateo
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
Multiple Locations
Other Location Info
Pier 28 Annex - San Francisco
NW corner: 37°43'58.5"N, 122°33'12.48"W - San Francisco
SE corner: 37°43'29.94"N, 122°32'52.21"W - San Francisco
37.4391603768, -122.528399244 - Half Moon Bay
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15301; Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15303; Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15306
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sec. 15301 provides that projects which consist of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, and which involve negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination, are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA.
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sec. 15303 provides that projects which consist of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure, are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA.
This project will involve environmental monitoring technologies research which will be conducted at an existing facility and at open ocean locations near San Francisco where the recipient regularly tests moored systems. This project will involve developing and deploying Spotter Buoys to existing infrastructure with Smart Mooring cables that contain various components for testing (hydrophones, Inertial Measurement Units, etc.) to study their behavior. These are established and permitted test sites that have been previously established for this purpose and won't require any additional infrastructure to complete the testing. This project will use existing attachments and will not involve any anchoring or modifications to the sea floor. Accordingly, there will be negligible to no expansion of the existing use of the facilities and locations at project sites.
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sec. 15306 provides that projects which consist of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource are exempt from the provisions of CEQA. This project will involve receiving data from passive monitoring devices attached to pre-existing infrastructure at permitted test sites to evaluate disturbances in California coastal waters. These passive monitoring devices will be similar to existing monitoring devices already attached to existing infrastructure and will not have a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource.
For these reasons, the project will not have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, the project is categorically exempt under California Code of Regulations, title 14 section 15301, 15303, and 15306.
Additionally, the project will not impact an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies; does not involve any cumulative impacts of successive projects of the same type in the same place that might be considered significant; does not involve unusual circumstances that might have a significant effect on the environment; will not result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway; the project site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, none of the exceptions to categorical exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project, and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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