Committee appointed by the Academy's Environmental Studies 

 Board. The Committee's report, published in 1978, recommended 

 that: 



"The Program should (a) reallocate funds for greater 

 emphasis on study of onshore and nearshore impacts; 

 (b) formulate a program based on an adequate problem 

 analysis and relevance to policy decisions; (c) change 

 research management and procurement practices to assure 

 scientifically sound and useful results; and (d) adjust 

 responsibilities for environmental studies within the 

 Department of the Interior to facilitate effective use 

 of Program results." 



The Bureau reviewed the Committee's report and modified its 

 Environmental Studies Program accordingly. Among other things, 

 the Bureau, in 1978, drafted study plans for each of the five 

 OCS regions and distributed these draft plans to the Commission 

 and others for review and comment (see the Commission's Report 

 for 1978) . 



The changes made in 1978 helped to define and accelerate 

 acquisition of information needed to make and assess the 

 possible environmental consequences of basic leasing decisions. 

 A number of lease sales subsequently were held and, in some 

 areas, both exploration and development activities have since 

 been authorized and undertaken. 



As activities move from leasing to exploration and develop- 

 ment, data needs may change. To verify assumptions or hypo- 

 theses concerning predicted effects and to detect possible 

 unforeseen effects, it might be more cost effective, for 

 example, to select and monitor a few "index" species and 

 areas, rather than attempt to monitor each and every species 

 and area that could be affected directly or indirectly by 

 offshore exploration, development, or related activities. 

 Recognizing uncertainties concerning the continuing focus and 

 effectiveness of its Environmental Studies Program, the Minerals 

 Management Service contracted with the National Academy of 

 Sciences again in 1986 to further evaluate the program. The 

 Academy has constituted a committee to review the program and 

 expects to complete its review and make recommendations to 

 the Service within two years. 



The Commission believes that the program review is timely 

 and of great importance. It therefore will provide whatever 

 assistance possible to both the Minerals Management Service 

 and the National Academy of Sciences to insure that the study 

 properly reflects issues bearing upon the conservation and 

 protection of marine mammals and their habitat. 



171 



