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ABSTRACT The Minerals Management Service' s (MMS) Office of Strategic and International Minerals (OSIM) provides policy and program direction for development of all minerals other than oil, gas, and sulphur on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). In order to develop the potential of the OCS as a domestic supply source for solid minerals and to encourage development of a viable ocean mining industry, OSIM has joined with several coastal States to form Federal/State task forces to assess potential economic mineral commodities off their respective coasts and to assure that environmental and other issues are identified and fully addressed. This paper describes and summarizes the projects and activities in which OSIM is currently involved relating to the development of an environmentally sound offshore hard minerals program. INTRODUCTION The OSIM was established by MMS in 1983 to focus Federal efforts in developing a no energy minerals program on the nation's outer continental shelf. Goals of the program are to develop the potential of the OCS as a source for solid no energy minerals and to encourage development of those minerals in a sound and environmentally safe manner. A'key objective of OSIM has been to provide a regulatory climate conducive to industry initiative while protective of the environment. Accordingly, final regulations governing prospecting for OCS hard minerals were published in July 1988, and rules governing leasing and operating activities were published in January 1989. OSIM has focused attention on areas and resources where there is industry interest and where the coastal States would like to take part in coordinated efforts to identify and evaluate deposits of economically recoverable minerals and work together to resolve environmental concerns. This has resulted in the formation of several Federal/State task forces and cooperative agreements to address and resolve issues and potential controversies in an orderly and timely manner, and to involve the coastal States in discussions of programmatic concern. Currently, the MMS supports six Federal/State Task Forces (Fig. 1), the status of which is discussed in detail in the following section. CURRENT STATUS OF ACTIVE FEDERAL/STATE TASK FORCES AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS Hawaii Cobalt-Rich Manganese Crusts The Federal/State of Hawaii Task Force was established in 1984 to evaluate the possible development of cobalt-rich manganese crust deposits located adjacent to Hawaii and Johnston Island, in water depths from 800 to 2,400 meters. A final environmental impact statement (EIS), prepared with the oversight of the task force, was completed earlier this year The final EIS evaluates an area of 26,910 km2 (approximately 6.65 million acres).
- Materials > Metals & Mining (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > United States Government (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
Published in Oil & Gas Executive, Volume 1, Number 1, 1998, pages 18-21,51-53. On 4 March 1994, an unusual meeting took place at Arco Intl. Oil and Gas Co. headquarters in Plano, Texas. At the table were Louis Soileau IV, development manager of Arco Oriente (the company's joint venture with Agip in Ecuador); W. Ken Keag, Arco's resident manager in Ecuador; Leonardo Viteri, head of the Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza (OPIP) -affiliated Amazanga Inst.; Hector Villamil, OPIP president; and two representatives of Oxfam America (a community development and human rights advocacy group based in Boston, Massachusetts). Discussions included subjects as diverse as native land claims, health care, and the lack of adequate schools throughout Ecuador's Amazonian region, known as the "Oriente." By midnight, Arco and OPIP had agreed to begin a "serious and positive dialogue" about social and environmental questions arising from the company's proposed development of a major oil field at Villano in Block 10, located deep in the forests of Pastaza Province. Villano, with a population of about 300 families, is a cluster of seven or eight communities located near an old airstrip of the same name. A final question raised by Viteri was why oil companies don't try to understand the social and natural environment for proposed projects "before they even buy the bidding packages." Arco officials agree that beginning such discussions as early as possible is the key to a successful venture. They recognize, however, that this can be difficult because, in many cases, bidding processes are managed closely by government oil companies and information is limited at best. They suggest that the CTA, with all of its imperfections, remains the best response to skeptics who warn that they are giving the Indians "too much voice" in their decision-making. These officials point out that such skeptics have offered no viable alternative, or at least no alternative that is acceptable to a major international company.
- South America > Ecuador > Pastaza Province (0.34)
- North America > United States > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston (0.24)
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has allocated $206,880 in federal funds to 11 recipients to assist their participation in the environmental assessment of the proposed Nexen Energy ULC Flemish Pass Exploration Drilling Project, located more than 400 km east of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, in an area known as the Flemish Pass, in the Atlantic Ocean. The funding was made available through the Agency's Participant Funding Program. It will assist the participation of the public and indigenous groups in upcoming steps of the environmental assessment, which include reviewing and providing comments on the environmental impact statement or on its summary, the draft environmental assessment report, and the potential environmental assessment conditions.
On 23 May 2017, Ukrainian parliament adopted the Law of Ukraine "On Environment Impact Assessment."The newly adopted law requires mandatory assessment of effect (both direct and indirect) on the environment of certain industrial objects and activities. These activities include the extraction of mineral resources and the storage and processing of hydrocarbon crude. The operation of the objects and conduct of the activities listed in the law may not begin until their effect on the environment has been assessed in accordance with the law and until a positive decision is received from the relevant authorities. As part of the assessment process, the environmental authorities need to be provided with an assessment of the environmental effect and the report will b subject to public discussion. Based on this, environmental authorities provide their opinion on the assessment.
- Government > Regional Government > Europe Government > Ukraine Government (0.64)
- Law > Environmental Law (0.45)
Abstract The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has oversight for leasing, exploration, and development of mineral resources on submerged Federal lands on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The MMS Environmental Studies Program was initiated in 1973 to provide a management information base in support of oil and gas operations activity on the OCS. Some of the environmental issues in the Gulf of Mexico relating to biological and habitat resources of special concern are discussed here. These include "live-bottom" habitats, coral reefs, "pinnacle trends," submerged banks, seagrass beds, deep-water chemosynthetic communities, and protected species. Described here are the reasons for concern, including legal mandates and special environmental significance, and governmental action taken. INTRODUCTION: LEGAL MANDATES The MMS has responsibility for the leasing, exploration, and development of mineral resources on submerged Federal lands on the U.S - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The MMS Environmental Studies Program, initiated in 1973, provides a management information base in support of oil and gas activities on the OCS. Legal mandates guiding the MMS are found in the OCS Lands Act of 1978 as amended in 1985 (OCSLAA), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and many other laws. Under the OCSLAA, the MMS Environmental Studies Program is mandated to protect the natural and human environment by providing information for assessment and management, predicting impact of regulated activities, and monitoring the environment. The OCSLAA gave responsibility to the Secretary of the Interior for the management of mineral extraction on the OCS and required the establishment of an Environmental Studies Program to support management decisions. The NEPA has the primary objective, 5, To declare a national policy which will encourage …. harmony between man and his environment; [and] to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment … " P. 445
- Geology > Mineral (1.00)
- Geology > Sedimentary Geology > Depositional Environment > Marine Environment > Reef Environment (0.35)
- Law (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > United States Government (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)