16 November 2011

CSA International, Inc. (CSA) is pleased to announce that it has founded the STEP Program (Scientific Tools & Equipment Pool).  The STEP Program is equipped and staffed to immediately respond to a wide range of emergencies in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world.  Meeting or exceeding the highest in HSSE requirements, STEP personnel are trained in proper Chain-of-Custody and other Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) methodologies.

Included in an annual membership fee, STEP members would have immediate access to specialized scientific equipment and trained staff, ready to mobilize on a vessel of opportunity.  A member that draws on the STEP inventory and services would pay pre?established rates for equipment and personnel on an as-used basis.  Access to the STEP Program eliminates the need to ramp up equipment and services in an emergency situation and the purchase of response-specific equipment that may not be used again.  Additionally, STEP members will be able to demonstrate to regulatory agencies and other stakeholders their readiness to respond to the environmental aspect of an emergency situation.

For more information on the STEP Program, please visit www.csaintl.com.  Or, you may contact us by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss becoming a member and taking a STEP towards Environmental Response Readiness.

21 September 2011

CSA International. Inc. (CSA) is proud to announce that a post-disaster redevelopment planning project conducted by its Planning division has been awarded an Award of Merit by the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) during the recent APA Florida 2011 Conference held in Palm Beach, Florida on 8 September 2011.  “Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning: A Guide for Florida Communities” is the latest guidebook in the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Division of Emergency Management’s (DEM’s) Best Practice Series.  It is also the culmination of the Statewide Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning Initiative.  This project, guided by a statewide group of experts on planning and long-term recovery and implemented by CSA staff, also included extensive research on disaster recovery to develop preliminary guidelines for local planning processes that were tested through a series of pilot projects.  The result is the first statewide effort of its kind to encourage pre-event planning for long-term post-disaster recovery in the nation.

For more information on the project, visit the project website at www.pdrp.org or the CSA Planning website at www.csa-planning.com.

25 August 2011

CSA International, Inc. (CSA), a marine environmental consulting firm based out of Stuart, Florida, is pleased to announce that it has recently expanded its marine services to include a Meteorological and Oceanographic (Metocean) Business Line.  CSA has extensive experience in planning, implementing, and conducting large technical marine surveys, including oceanographic programs through its Marine Services Business Line.

 Recognizing the emerging technologies in engineering, deeper offshore exploration and production, environmental concerns, and the subsequent demand for accurate real?time metocean data, CSA has formed a new Metocean Business Line in order to focus and expand its capabilities in this area, providing commercial and technical expertise for metocean projects around the world.  This will include metocean consultancy and the collection of high-quality metocean data to assist engineering, design, daily marine operations, planning, and management for offshore exploration, field development, ports and harbors, and cable and pipeline routes.

 CSA Metocean services include the following:

 Metocean consultancy (expert technical and project management advice on measurement campaigns).

• Metocean moorings (turn-key project execution of nearshore and deepwater mooring programs).
• Buoy based systems (buoy-based meteorological, wave, and current data in real?time, including the provision of full water depth current profiles in ultra deep water).
• Real-time data (real-time graphical displays of metocean data to assist with daily planning).
• Data management (secure storage of processed and raw data sets).

 For more information on this business line and CSA services and capabilities, contact Mr. Andy Brown, the newly named Metocean Business Line Manager, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit our website at www.csaintl.com.

09 August 2011

CSA International, Inc. (CSA) is pleased to announce that it is continuing to expand its Coastal Restoration business line with the recent addition of a Restoration Ecologist to its Tampa, Florida branch office.  Mr. Ray Dennis is a noted professional in the fields of wildlife and coastal ecology (coastal marsh/mangrove and seagrass habitats), regulatory policy, and habitat restoration.  He has experience in the design and implementation of freshwater wetland and aquatic projects as well as estuarine and coastal marine mitigation projects, including restoration, enhancement, and the creation of native habitat communities.  Mr. Dennis is particularly recognized for his innovations in methodologies relative to coastal restoration and transplantation of submerged aquatic vegetation.

For more information on CSA services or the Tampa office, please call CSA's main office at 772-219-3000 or visit our website at www.csaintl.com.

13 July 2011

CSA International, Inc., a marine environmental consulting firm, recently concluded the experimental portion of a laboratory-based coral experiment as part of an ongoing project in Guam.  CSA scientists served as technical experts in the implementation of a coral dose response experiment, evaluating sedimentation stress in four species of Pacific corals.

 Scientists collected coral specimens from the field, successfully acclimated approximately 800 small fragments in laboratory aquaria for several weeks, and conducted a pilot study prior to the experiment.  During the experiment, corals were randomly distributed among 35 aquaria and subjected to daily doses of various concentrations of fine and/or coarse sediments for 4 weeks.  Scientists conducted visual health assessments daily, during which gross morphological stress responses such as mucus production, bleaching, tissue swelling, etc. were scored for each specimen.  In addition, 25% of experimental coral specimens were sacrificed weekly and processed for histopathological purposes.  Histopathological analysis of coral specimens using light microscopy is currently underway, as well as analysis of visual health assessment data.

 Ms. Erin Hodel, CSA lead scientist on the project, stated, “This is a very interesting and important project in that it is the first study to evaluate sedimentation stress using histopathology for these four species of Pacific corals.”

08 July 2011

CSA International, Inc. (CSA) is pleased to announce that Keith VanGraafeiland, GIS/Remote Sensing Analyst, has recently been certified as a GIS Professional (GISP) by the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI).  GISCI certification requires achievement in three areas: educational achievement, professional experience, and contributions to the profession.

“GIS has changed the way CSA does business.  Keith VanGraafeiland and his staff’s contributions to CSA are significant.  We are very proud of Keith’s achievement of GIS Professional,” stated Dr. Alan Hart, CSA Science Director.

The purpose of the GISCI is to provide professionals who work in the field of geographic information systems with a formal process that

• allows them to be recognized by their colleagues and peers for having demonstrated exemplary professional practice and integrity in the field;
• establishes and maintains high standards of both professional practice and ethical conduct;
• encourages aspiring GIS professionals to work towards certification for the purpose of professional development and advancement; and
• encourages established GIS professionals to continue to hone their professional skills and ethical performance even as GIS technology changes.

GISCI is an independent, non-profit organization that provides the GIS community with a complete certification program and offers a positive method of developing value for professionals and employers in the GIS profession.  For more information on the Institute, visit www.gisci.org.  For more information on CSA’s GIS capabilities and services, visit our website at www.csaintl.com.

27 June 2011

CSA International, Inc., a marine environmental consulting firm based out of Stuart, Florida, is pleased to announce that it has recently appointed Mr. Andy Brown as Regional Manager of the Houston, Texas office.  Mr. Brown will be charged with managing CSA’s activities in the region and will have overall responsibility for the Metocean Business Line – expanding CSA’s metocean capabilities, creating and fostering strong client relationships, and providing commercial and technical expertise on metocean projects in the Gulf of Mexico as well as around the world.

Well suited to the new position, Mr. Brown has more than 20 years of experience in the development, management, and execution of meteorological and oceanographic projects for the oil and gas industry, consultants, and construction companies worldwide.  Prior to joining the CSA team, he was vice president at Fugro GEOS Inc. and regional manager at the Fugro GEOS Singapore Office.

09 June 2011

CSA International, Inc. (CSA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Cindy Chandool has recently joined its branch office in Trinidad and Tobago.  This office was opened in 2006 to better facilitate in-country and regional projects by providing both a technical and administrative base for operations.

Dr. Chandool holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, with specialization in interdisciplinary ecology and environmental engineering sciences. She has a background in natural resource and environmental management, in particular regulatory environmental enforcement, environmental impact assessment and environmental research.  Prior to joining CSA, Dr. Chandool worked with the Environmental Management Authority in Trinidad and Tobago and has provided environmental consultancy services for local companies on projects related to water resource management, tourism, and upstream oil and gas. Her background and experience will make a valuable addition to the services provided by the Trinidad and Tobago office.

For more information regarding the capabilities of CSA’s Trinidad and Tobago branch office, we can be contacted by phone at 868-224-3466 or 868-683-4329 or in person at Suite 108, Fitt Court, 9-11 Fitt Street, Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies.

24 May 2011

The inspection class ROV system has state-of-the-art imaging and data archiving capabilities

CSA International, Inc. (CSA) has acquired a state-of-the-art inspection class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system to support its offshore environmental and scientific fleet.  The ROV has been configured to carry a high-definition (HD) video system, complete with LED lighting, sighting lasers for image sizing and measurements, and a computer-based HD video recording capability.  The ROV is now on its first project in the Gulf of Mexico.  Due to its compact size, the ROV system is easily shipped to both domestic and foreign locations in a cost-effective manner and is able to work from a variety of vessels.

 “The recent refinement of HD video imaging and recording technology makes this ROV a powerful tool in support of our environmental and scientific surveys,” stated Kevin Peterson, CEO of CSA.  “We’ve utilized ROV systems for many years in our segment of the industry, but only recently have we been able to pull together all of the components for HD imaging and archiving in a cost-effective and portable package.”