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Environmental Compliance Monitoring Program
The MMS
Environmental Compliance Monitoring Program was developed to ensure
environmentally sound operations. This established program is
designed to determine industry conformity with environmental laws,
regulations, lease stipulations, and project mitigations.
Environmental monitoring provides for environmental protection by
ensuring implementation of
mitigation measures,
identifying needed changes to mitigation to improve effectiveness in
protecting coastal and marine resources, and understanding the
changing environment.
Program Goals
- Prevent
irreversible environmental damage associated with OCS oil & gas
operations.
- Verify that
implementation of environmental protection measures imposed/proposed
for project impacts actually occurred as designed/intended.
- Provide
feedback to MMS staff and decision makers regarding the
effectiveness of the measures so that improvements may be
implemented (Adaptive Management).
The Pacific OCS Region currently
employs a 3-tiered environmental compliance monitoring program that
includes MMS Regional and District Office field presence, industry
responsibility and environmental monitoring studies.
Pacific Region Environmental Compliance Monitoring
Environmental and safety inspectors in
the field and office monitor new projects and on-going operations for
compliance with laws, regulations and project specific environmental
protection measures.
Industry Mitigation Compliance Monitoring Plans
The Pacific Region requires applicants to provide Mitigation
Compliance Monitoring Plans for conditions of approval for new
projects.
Pacific Region Environmental Monitoring Studies
Pacific Region scientists and
contractors conduct environmental monitoring studies.
Return to Environmental Compliance
Program
Web Master:
Nollie
Gildow-Owens
Page content last updated 01/27/2009
Page last published 001/27/2009 | 
