NSF Earthscope Project:  Lessons Learned

Speaker:  Kyle Bohnenstiehl

EarthScope is a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative that is exploring the structure and evolution of the North American continent and the physical processes controlling earthquakes and volcanoes. The Plate Boundary Observatory component has permitted over 900 GPS sites and 150 Borehole strainmeter sites. The site footprints are about 30' x 30', which is similar to the footprint of other distributed monitoring network facilities. We have permitted sites with over 100 different federal agency offices in 19 different states. We have also dealt with a myriad of state, county, city, and tribal governments and private landowners. Each bureaucracy has a different set of rules, policies and requirements. The most significant regulatory requirement is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for which compliance by "Federal Actions" is statutory. All NSF programs are federal actions. This breakout session will cover the processes, budgets, and lessons learned during the permitting phase of the Plate Boundary Observatory. Handouts will be provided and a question and answer time will allow participants to asses the level of compliance required by their project.

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