Management of the MMS-LSU Coastal Marine Institute: A Report of the First Six Years 1992-1998

Management of the MMS-LSU Coastal Marine Institute:
A Report of the First Six Years 1992-1998

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, announces the availability of a new study report, Management of the MMS-LSU Coastal Marine Institute: A Report of the First Six Years 1992-1998.

The Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) at Louisiana State University was established for an initial six years (1992-1998) as a cooperative agreement between the State and the Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The basic intent of the CMI was to direct the considerable research talents of a major research university towards Federal and State information needs in a State where Outer Continental Shelf development of the oil and gas industry is a major factor. Funding for all projects undertaken has been equally divided between MMS and Louisiana resources. During its initial six years, the CMI has been exceptionally effective. Fifty projects have been funded, employing the talents of 64 faculty researchers, 14 postdoctoral associates, 26 Ph.D. candidates, 22 master's candidates, and 38 undergraduate workers. As projects have been completed, publication in the peer-reviewed literature has been very good, creating a greater awareness in the academic community of issues of resource development. The total cost to MMS and LSU has been equal at $11,360,000 each. All of this has been achieved at a management cost of less than 2 percent. Research tasks fell into five broad categories: Information Dissemination (4 projects at $1,325,000), Chemical Fates, Effects, and Bioremediation (13 projects at $2,053,000), Offshore Structure Ecology (6 projects at $2,807,000), Physical Oceanography and Meteorology (12 Projects at $2,661,000), Deepwater Environment Studies (4 projects at $810,000), and Socioeconomics and Policy (16 projects at $2,225,000).

For more information about this study or the Environmental Studies Program in general, contact the Environmental Sciences Section (MS 5430), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-2752.

You can obtain copies of the report from the Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, at a charge of $10.00 by referencing OCS Study MMS 2001-062. You will be able to obtain this report also from the National Technical Information Service in the near future. Here are the addresses. You may also inspect copies at selected Federal Depository Libraries.

Minerals Management Service
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region
Public Information Office (MS 5034)
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394
Telephone requests may be placed at
(504) 736-2519 or 1-800-200-GULF
or FAX: (504) 736-2620

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
(703) 487-4650 or FAX: (703) 321-8547
Rush Orders: 1-800-336-4700

MMS is the Federal Agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the Nation's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf in Federal offshore waters. The Agency also collects, accounts for, and disburses mineral revenues from Federal and Indian leases. These collections totaled nearly $8 billion last year and more than $110 billion since the Agency was created in 1982. Annually, nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the acquisition and development of state and Federal park and recreation lands.