Environmental Studies To Aid in the Evaluation of Marine Mining Impacts on the United States Outer Continental Shelf
Authors: Drucker B.S. 
Published: October 2008

As the potential for further exploration and possible development of offshore minerals on the U. S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) increases, environmental considerations will generate a need for technical information and studies. Such information will aid the Minerals Management Service (MMS) in making leasing decisions and will assure that offshore minerals are developed in a safe and environmentally sound manner. The MMS Office of International Activities and Marine Minerals is developing and procuring, through the MMS Environmental Studies Program, contracts to provide some of this needed information. In progress is a literature search study to compile existing information on the environmental effects of marine mining, and a planned benthic repopulation study is in the process of procurement. Additional generic or site specific studies will be developed to support future decisions regarding possible marine mineral leasing and development activities in various areas of the OCS.

INTRODUCTION

The Office of International Activities and Marine Minerals (INTERMAR) is the Minerals Management Service (MMS) office responsible for the coordination of potential marine mineral leasing and development activity on the Federal OCS. INTERMAR is currently gathering environmental information to support future leasing decisions in several distinct, but related methods. The overall strategies with respect to environmental issues is to operate in a forward thinking manner and to better understand present environmental implications of marine mineral development in order to facilitate better decisions and, if possible, to develop solutions to possible environmental problems. Several Federal-State teams have been assembled via cooperative agreements to investigate the offshore mineral potential in specific areas of the OCS. Their current efforts are being directed towards identifying environmental issues, as well as developing action plans to address concerns of the Federal and State governments and the public. In addition, the Marine Minerals Technology Center of the University of Mississippi and Sea Grant colleges are examining and developing environmentally sound technology to aid in the extraction of marine minerals as a source of material for beach renourishment, construction aggregate, or industrially important components. Finally, studies to provide needed environmental information are being conducted using funds provided by the MMS Environmental Studies Program (ESP); this studies initiative is discussed in detail below.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES INITIATIVE

The MMS ESP has produced, and continues to produce, a significant amount of scientific and technical information, some of which may apply to environmental analyses and decisions related to marine mineral activities on the OCS. The ESP information database covers technical subjects such as ocean currents and pollutant transport mechanisms; air and water quality; distribution and abundance of commercially or ecologically important and endangered species; oceanographic hazards; arctic hazards; and social, cultural, and economic conditions in coastal areas. Wherever and whenever possible, existing or planned oil and gas environmental studies will be used or contracts amended to provide environmental information for decisions relating to marine mineral development.