|
| |
Scientific
Committee
The purpose of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Scientific
Committee is to advise the
Secretary of the Interior, through the
Director, Minerals Management Service
(MMS), on the feasibility, appropriateness, and scientific value of the MMS' OCS Environmental Studies Program (ESP). The ESP's main function is to
obtain environmental information through research to support the decision
process at all stages of the oil and gas leasing program. This program
operates under the following guidelines:
 | To provide information on the status of the environment upon which the
prediction of impacts of OCS oil and gas development may be based;
|
| To provide information on the ways and extent that OCS development can
potentially impact the human, marine, biological, and coastal resources
and areas;
|
| To ensure that information already available or being collected under
the program is in a form that can be used in the decisionmaking process
associated with a specific leasing action, or with the longer terms OCS
minerals management responsibilities; and
|
| To provide a basis for future monitoring of OCS operations, including
assessments of short-term impacts attributable to the OCS oil and gas
program. The Committee reviews the relevance of proposed studies and of
data being produced by the program and may recommend changes in the
program's scope, direction, and emphasis.
|
|
Additional Information |
For more information, contact
Phyllis Clark or call at
(703) 787-1716.
|
|
