Marine Mineral Projects

     Marine Mineral ProjectsTo date, BOEM has conveyed rights to about 58 million cubic yards of OCS sand for 31 coastal restoration projects in 5 states. These projects have resulted in the restoration of 180 miles of the Nation's coastline, protecting billions of dollars of infrastructure as well as important ecological habitat. For example, imminent breaching of several barrier islands was prevented by the rapid placement of OCS sand because all necessary geological and environmental information had already been gathered. Many of these were emergency projects that used sand that was previously identified by the Bureau through its cooperative program with coastal states. At the Dam Neck Naval Facility alone, the Navy has estimated that almost $100 million of training and housing facilities has been protected from storm damage by the placement of OCS sand.

    The legal authority for the issuance of negotiated noncompetitive leases for OCS sand and gravel is give by Section 8(k) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). Public Law 103-426, enacted in 1994, allows the Bureau to convey, on a noncompetitive basis, the rights to OCS sand, gravel, or shell resources funded in whole, part, or authorized by the Federal Government.

    In 1992, the Bureau began working cooperatively with coastal states to locate and evaluate sand deposits in Federal waters with potential for use in beach nourishment projects. In 2005, due to funding cuts the state co-op program was discontinued. However, today the BOEM Marine Minerals program is involved in more marine mineral leases than ever before and is seeing an increase in the requests for OCS sand as sand in state waters continues to be depleted.

     Marine Mineral Requests  

     Summary of Leases Issued by the Marine Minerals Program