Capabilities

The Marine Environmental Support Office (MESO) was originally established in 1987 as a Specialty Office of the Naval Environmental Protection Support Service (NEPSS) to provide scientific marine environmental protection compliance and planning assistance to the United States Navy warfighter in response to concerns about compliance with increasingly stringent marine environmental restrictions. By providing continuing support on numerous and recurring marine environmental issues for Navy activities since MESO's establishment, the Compliance Team has accumulated extensive experience in marine environmental science fields.

The Team provides high-quality scientific and marine environmental support services to help front-line Navy environmental planners manage their environmental initiatives. The Team's technical and scientific support for marine environmental science, protection and compliance issues covers a broad spectrum of activities, including, but not limited to:

• Laboratory/field studies
• Sediment sampling and analysis
• Operational or background receiving water column contaminant assessments
• Biological quality measurements
• In situ sediment contaminant flux/pore water measurements
• Water column contaminant fate and effects assessments/modeling
• Routine consultation/data and information transfer
  • Biological quality data
  • Water quality data
  • Sediment quality data
  • Environmental regulatory information/updates
  • Sampling and analysis methods
• Preparation/assistance/review of in-process draft documents for scientific soundness
  • Environmental Assessments/Overseas EAs
  • Environmental Impact Statements/Overseas EISs
  • NPDES permits and monitoring programs
  • Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study sampling and analysis plans
• Comprehensive environmental assessments
  • Multi-year water/sediment/biological quality monitoring studies
  • Ecological Risk Assessments
• Natural Resource Management

Capabilities (direct support):

• Natural resources assessments
• Water/sediment quality assessments
• NEPA, MMPA, ESA, CWA compliance support
• Range sustainment
• Management of environmental regulatory requirements

Applications:

• NEPA document resource
• Engineering design resource

Special Resources:

• SSC-SD Bioassay Laboratory
• Marine Environmental Survey Capability
• Trace Metal Chemistry
• Rapid Sediment Characterization Tools
• Benthic Flux Sampling
• Trident and UltraSeep

Further Information:

• For further information, contact the Compliance Team.