The phenomenal early success of these efforts, the paper implied, bodes well for both the oil industry and the American consumer. It's good news for the American taxpayer, as well. Some of the money the MMS collects from offshore drilling and production goes into historic preservation projects. A good share goes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides money for acquisitions of National Park lands as well as state and local scenic and recreational facilities.
Offshore production provides benefits even for states and cities far from the Gulf Coast.
Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel we have. The MMS has worked closely with the offshore industry in the development and evaluation of new technologies for deepwater operations. The MMS also conducts regular, unannounced inspections of natural gas and oil installations on the OCS to assure compliance with safety and environmental protection requirements. Increased activity in the Gulf's deep waters means less dependence on imports for the nation's needed energy, less money out of the pockets of taxpayers and more financial and aesthetic benefits for all Americans.