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Peer Review Agenda

Section V of OMB's Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review requires that agencies "begin a systematic process of peer review planning" and publish a "web-accessible listing of forthcoming influential scientific disseminations (i.e., an agenda) that is regularly updated by the agency."

General Peer Review Planning:

Numerous mechanisms already in place under our Environmental Studies Program (ESP) identify and fulfill the requirement for scientific peer review. Those existing mechanisms include, for example,

  • external review of proposals,
  • review and critical input by Scientific Review Boards or Modeling Review Boards,
  • review and critical input by scientific advisory committees under the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
  • scientific peer review of final reports, and/or
  • publication in peer-reviewed technical and/or scientific journals.

These measures (as well as stakeholder input) begin early in the development stages, and continue during the course of projects. In addition, projects are regularly presented at MMS Information Transfer Meetings and special workshops facilitating both scientific peer-review and public/stakeholder input.

Listing of Forthcoming Disseminations:

blue bullet  A Comparison of the Cost of Energy for the Proposed Cape Wind Energy Project Site and Alternative Sites

The model to be reviewed may be used to calculate the cost of energy associated with offshore wind energy facilities, and allows for the entry of project specific parameters related to site, technical, financial and other relevant factors. The MMS applied this model to the proposed and alternative sites considered in the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Cape Wind Energy Project, a 130-turbine, 468-megawatt wind energy project proposed for Nantucket Sound, in order to compare the relative cost of energy associated with the proposed and alternative sites.

blue bullet  Peer Review Plan for A Comparison of the Cost of Energy

blue bullet  A Study to Address the Issue of Seafloor Stability/Impact on Oil and Gas Infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico

This study addresses the issue of seafloor stability and the impact on pipelines and other oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of projected dredging activities and the potential removal of large volumes of sand from Ship Shoal and other areas offshore Louisiana. Study results will be used to establish setback distances and buffer zones to protect pipelines and other oil and gas facilities in the GOM that lie within the vicinity of proposed sand dredging operations. The setback distances and buffer zones will be conditions stipulated in official lease documents for the use of Federal sand. Two independent technical reviewers in related technical fields have been contacted and have agreed to be peer reviewers. Comments and suggestions on the draft report from the reviewers will be evaluated and included in the final report.

blue bullet  Peer Review Plan for Seafloor Stability and the Impact on Oil and Gas Infrastructure

blue bullet  Sperm Whales Seismic Study (SWSS)

A five member Science Review board (SRB) was established for the Sperm Whales Seismic Study (SWSS) to provide a review of the study’s direction and modifications and provide technical review of the annual draft reports and the draft synthesis report. All members of the SRB are esteemed, non-vested scientists in the field of marine mammals with varying specialties. Through the Program Manager, authors of SWSS draft report sections are expected to respond to SRB comments in writing, as well as to those of the MMS and the other SWSS sponsors. Further, as part of the Cooperative Agreement, project scientists are tasked to prepare manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed professional journals or related publications and funding has been identified for the purpose of manuscript preparation and submission. MMS tracks project manuscript submissions and resulting publications and lists them as SWSS products, however, the acceptance and publication of a manuscript is conducted by the respective publication and represents a final peer-review process completely independent of MMS. The Three Year Interim report became due in September, 2005 and is under review by the SRB. The Final report is due in 2007.

blue bullet  Peer Review Plan for Sperm Whale Seismic Study

Disclaimer

Based on the review it has conducted, MMS has not identified any upcoming "highly influential scientific assessments" at this time.

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Last Updated:  11/18/2008, 02:00 PM