Background

n response to concerns about compliance with increasingly stringent marine environmental regulations, the Marine Environmental Support Office (MESO) was established in 1987 as one of the four Naval Environmental Protection Support Service (NEPSS) Specialty Offices (ref. OPNAVINST 5090.1B Sec. 1-3.4.c) to: (1) provide Navy commands with rapid access to marine scientists and information to answer compliance questions; (2) help resolve complex marine environmental problems including marine environmental quality assessment and data analysis and habitat protection; and (3) minimize impact on Fleet operations while maintaining compliance with applicable local, state and Federal marine environmental regulations.

MESO is located at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, and is staffed with scientists with expertise in marine biology, toxicology, chemistry and geochemistry, ecological assessment, oceanography, environmental modeling and data management and analysis. Having the infrastructure and available expertise allows MESO to provide a range of services from regulation/policy reviews, to conducting large-scale studies or risk assessments in support of compliance or National Environmental Policy Act requirements.