How does the Environmental Division support the Offshore Energy and
Minerals Management’s (OEMM) Environmental Program?The OEMM oversees the safe and environmentally
sound exploration and production of the Nation’s offshore energy and
marine mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The
Environmental Division supports all aspects of OEMM, including its
leasing, resource evaluation, regulation, and inspection functions. The
Environmental Division is involved in all phases of OCS activity, from
the development of the 5-Year Program through site clearance –
“cradle-to-grave.” The Division also provides environmental policy
guidance, direction, and program oversight for OEMM with respect to:
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preparing the 5-Year Leasing
Program; |
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carrying out a national
Environmental Studies Program (ESP); |
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seeing that Congressionally
provided grant assistance funds are appropriately distributed and used
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evaluating the potential and
actual environmental impacts associated with extraction of offshore
energy and marine minerals; and |
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ensuring that OEMM polices and
industry practices conform to the Nation’s environmental policies and
laws. |
How is the Environmental Division organized?
What are
some of the key environmental issues addressed by this Division?
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Evaluating and providing
scientific and technical information to support decisions needed to
avoid potential environmental effects of offshore energy and marine
mineral resource development. |
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Collecting and making
available to the public information needed to analyze, discuss, and
guide future decisions pertaining to lease sales and exploration,
development, and production activities. |
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Developing, implementing, and
assessing environmental monitoring efforts to determine the extent and
duration of environmental effects and potential mitigation measures that
can be used to minimize impacts. |
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Assessing conformity with
environmental legal mandates and regulations (e.g. the Endangered
Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act).
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Administering grants funds
identified by Congress to be used to protect, conserve or restore the
natural coastal environment and to mitigate impacts from offshore oil
and gas activities. |
What MMS regulations cover the OCS?
Essential components of our environmental
program include creative and proactive examination and assessment
strategies of our
legal and regulatory mandates. The MMS
regulations governing operations on the OCS are codified at
30 CFR Subchapter B, Offshore. The MMS
issues
Notice to Lessees (NTLs)
to clarify, describe, or interpret offshore regulations or standards.
The NTLs may also provide guidelines on special lease stipulations,
explain MMS's interpretation of requirements, or transmit administrative
information. There are two types of NTLs, those issued at the regional
level, pertinent to a particular OCS Region, and those issued nationally
that are effective nationwide for all MMS Regions.
General Information
Last Updated:
04/07/2009,
09:11 AM