Gary Lawley

Secondary Treatment Variance Monitoring Program, Anchorage, Alaska — Provides ongoing technical assistance for the Anchorage NPDES 301(h) secondary treatment variance monitoring program. Components of this study have included water and sediment quality, evaluation of discharge criteria, total maximum daily load (TMDL) determinations, site-specific water quality criteria development, ocean currents and dispersion, invertebrate assemblages, and permit and regulatory compliance determinations. Conducted subsequent special studies and evaluations in support of the permit reapplication and biological assessment that included the design and implementation of the first sampling program to target constituents of emerging concern (CEC), such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), sterols, and personal health care products, including over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Monitoring, Anchorage, Alaska — Provides continuing support for the Municipality of Anchorage’s Eagle River Wastewater Treatment Plant’s required monitoring and NPDES permit renewal application. Performed stream flow cross sectional survey and site investigation of effluent outfall to refine mixing zone modeling during current NPDES permit reapplication. In support of the permit’s previous renewal, a four-season analysis of Eagle River’s TMDL was calculated upstream from the treatment plant and compared to downstream loads. Flow-based composite samples of plant effluent for chronic and acute toxicity have been performed seasonally for more than 15 years.

Fish Monitoring, Alaska — Provided water quality sampling and operation of the RV North Forty during several sampling cruises performing hydroacoustic fish monitoring in support of a proposed tidal electric generating facility.

Carbon Inputs Study, Alaska — Provided on-ice snow machine and logistical support in the nearshore Beaufort Sea for a NASA-sponsored study of carbon inputs to the marine ecosystem conducted by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal Environmental Impact Studies, Alaska — Conducted five plankton surveys at the proposed terminal site, Nikiski, Cook Inlet, to assess impacts from vessel operations on ichthyoplankton communities.

Marine Environmental Sampling, Harrison Bay, Alaska — Participated in marine environmental sampling in Harrison Bay to assess sediment quality, water quality, and fish assemblies in support of a development project.

Stormwater Monitoring, Anchorage, Alaska — From 2011–2018, directed field operations for the Anchorage annual stormwater monitoring program, including sampling rain events for hydrocarbons, metals, bacteria, and other water quality parameters.

Plankton Sampling, Alaska — Participates in a continuous plankton monitoring program with the Marine Biological Association, Plymouth, England. Maintains the plankton sample tow body and preserves the collected plankton samples upon arrival in Anchorage. Programs the fluorometer and conductivity, temperature, and depth package attached to the sample apparatus.

Integrated Cook Inlet Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program, Alaska — In 2010 and 2011, served as a boat operator and field sampling assistant for the Integrated Cook Inlet Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (ICIEMAP), investigating distribution patterns and sources for organic contaminants and trace metals in seawater and bottom sediments.

Research Projects, Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska — Served as Captain of BOEM Regulation and Enforcement’s Research Vessel 1273. Provided coordination and execution of the 38-ft marine research vessel’s operations, maintenance, logistics, and scheduling in support of various scientific studies in the coastal areas of the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. The primary research project during the first five seasons of vessel operations was a bowhead whale feeding study conducted out of Barrow for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This project included short term tagging efforts to delineate whale behavior at depth during foraging and the design and use of a video plankton recorder to assess prey species abundance and composition. Both bowhead and gray whales were successfully tagged during this study. Other research projects tasked to this vessel included monitoring and exploratory scuba dive and camera sled surveys performed by UAF researchers studying unique assemblages of kelps, soft corals, and associated biota in nearshore environs; investigations of biological and physical processes within the Boulder Patch region of Foggy Island Bay conducted by research divers from UAF; a USGS project investigating clathrate hydrates in the western portion sediments of Harrison Bay; periodic maintenance of remote weather sensing sites for BOEM; deploying and retrieving current meters, and calibration of a micro-radar sea surface current monitoring station for USGS and UAF.

Research Projects, Prince William Sound, Alaska — Served as backup Captain for the Research Vessel Auklet during a spring census survey of resident humpback whales in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska. This project employed short duration suction cup tags to track humpback whales during foraging dives targeting herring. Skin core biopsies were performed via crossbow bolt. Additional skin samples were collected opportunistically, and breath samples were collected to examine whale stress hormones, immune function, genetics, and the microbes that live in their lungs. Photo identification of individual humpback whales was performed and compared to the historical reference photographic catalog for this region. The secondary focus of this study was hydroacoustic quantification abundance and distribution of spawning Pacific herring within PWS.

Arctic Nearshore Impact Monitoring in the Development Area and Continuation Programs, Alaska — Served as field technician with the U.S. Minerals Management Service’s, Beaufort Sea, Arctic Nearshore Impact Monitoring in the Development Area (ANIMIDA) and continuation (cANIMIDA) programs. During this 6-year field study, collected sediment cores, water samples, suspended particulate samples, fish tissue samples, and in situ water quality measurements in the vicinity of the Northstar Development Island, Liberty Prospect, and reference sites to evaluate potential effects of development, especially oil industry related contaminants—metals and organics. Oversaw the installation of Fyke nets to capture fish for tissue analysis. Identified fish to species then performed dissections to subsample the organisms for Cytochrome P450, bile fluorescence, and histopathology. Whole fish were also collected for body burden analysis of persistent organic pollutants and metals. This study was renewed as ANIMIDA III and ran through 2017.

Fish Study, Beaufort Sea, Alaska — Served as field technician during five seasons of a study of anadromous fish in the nearshore environment of the Beaufort Sea. Study parameters included recruitment, genetic distribution, fecundity, and migration habits of five target species correlated with marine/estuarine temperature and salinity gradients. Responsible for the siting, installation, and maintenance of Fyke nets, identification and tagging of fish, collection of water quality data, collection of genetic samples, and the operation and maintenance of support skiffs. A variety of tagging methods were used to identify Fyke net-captured and recaptured fish.

Environmental Monitoring, Prince William Sound, Alaska — Served as field technician for the PWS Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council’s Long-Term Environmental Monitoring Program. This program was designed to monitor the potential impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons on biota and sediments in PWS and the Gulf of Alaska. Mussels were used as bioindicators of hydrocarbon accumulation in the intertidal environments, while subtidal sediments collected by grab were analyzed to provide information on long-term inputs to the marine environment.

Sediment Sampling, Alaska — Participated in a large vibracore sediment sampling program in Cook Inlet where sediment cores up to 15 ft in length were obtained in water depths of more than 100 ft.

Wetlands Sampling, Huntington Beach, California — Served as field technician helping to rehabilitate wetlands at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, California. Primary duties included collecting and logging soil and sediment core samples using a vibracore sampling device deployed from the bed of a “monster” four-wheel drive pickup and a small modular barge.

Dredge Survey, California — Conducted vibracore sampling at Richmond Harbor in San Francisco Bay and at the Sacramento and San Joaquin deep water ship channels for preclearance dredge survey chemistry for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Navigation and Turning Basin Project, Alaska — Served as field sampling team for a project investigating sediment and water quality, marine benthos, and bioaccumulation in fishes within a proposed dredge corridor for navigation and a turning basin near West Dock Causeway. Sampling plan included van Veen grabs, vibracores, and otter trawling.

Pipeline P00547 Incident, Huntington Beach, California — For the 2021 Huntington Beach oil spill, was tasked with supporting logistics and planning, performing ephemeral beach surveys, providing drone survey vessel support, providing oiled bird vessel support, performing recreational use surveys, collecting finfish specimen by hook and line, collecting bivalve specimens, and supporting trawl and dive operations. Supported sample documentation, intake, handling, storage, and shipment at the incident command center located at a nearby office location. Performed onshore and offshore seafood sample collection with hook and line and trawl nets for evaluating that pollutant tissue concentrations were at safe levels, and was responsible for sample collection, handling, and documentation.

Oil Spill Response Drills, Prince William Sound, Alaska — Served on SMART TEAM dispersant monitoring team over multiple years of on-water exercises and tabletop drills consisting of oil fluorometry, water sampling for hydrocarbons, hydrographic profiling, and monitoring of oil droplet sizes to aid the Joint Command in decisions regarding the use of dispersants during an actual spill event.