Fragments of orange coral with white tentacles on small cement anchors in a tank.

Mesophotic coral can live at depths of 500 feet below the ocean surface. Even at this depth, some of the mesophotic corals in the Gulf of Mexico were affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Our coral scientists supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science are studying the extent of this impact.

Three of our employee owners participated in a mission to extract the corals from the Gulf of Mexico that were then transported to laboratories in Galveston, Texas, Gainesville, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina. Once the Charleston specimens were housed in custom-made tanks, our scientists began studying and caring for the corals. They feed the colony multiple times daily, and study their growth and reproduction. In an effort to restore the damaged coral colonies in the Gulf of Mexico, the team is studying how to maximize growth and outplanting at a larger scale.

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Sign for Blue Origin Launch Site One

Ensuring Smooth Operations at Blue Origin Facilities 

At CSS, we’re proudly to plays a vital role in supporting Blue Origin’s groundbreaking endeavors in Texas and Washington. Our dedicated team is at the forefront of facilities and hospitality services, ensuring that every operation runs seamlessly. CSS employee owners are integral to the success of Blue Origin’s Texas launch and testing activities. With highly…

tractor trailers stationed in a parking lot

Emergency Response Support for the Republican National Convention

CSS employee owners on contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification System — a mobile analytical unit known as PHILIS — provided emergency response support for the 2024 Republican National Convention. PHILIS mobile laboratory units are designed to provide onsite analysis of environmental conditions, including air and soil samples, contaminated…

Going Above and Beyond During Difficult Circumstances

Congratulations to our Senior Program Analyst for receiving the Program Manager’s Spotlight Award, one of the highest levels of awards our company offers. She was nominated by her federal deputy director with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Conservation Program for quickly taking action upon the departure of the federal grants coordinator. She…