possible unforeseen impacts and for verifying assessments of 

 predicted levels of expected impacts. The Commission therefore 

 recommended that Stipulation No. 1 concerning the development and 

 implementation of a management-related monitoring and studies 

 program be adopted as part of the proposed action. The 

 Commission further recommended that, if it had not already done 

 so, the Minerals Management Service consult with the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to 

 ensure that baseline information and planned monitoring programs 

 are adequate to detect any changes in time to take steps to 

 mitigate possible impacts on marine mammals and other living 

 marine resources. Finally, the Commission recommended that the 

 DEIS be expanded to identify and describe the types of monitoring 

 programs that will be undertaken by the Alaska Regional Studies 

 Program as well as by the lessee during the post-lease sale 

 period to ensure detection and mitigation of possible unforseen 

 effects. 



At the end of 1989, the Commission was advised that the 

 Minerals Management Service had decided to substantially modify 

 the Draft Statement to address certain public health issues and 

 other concerns. The Commission will review the Service's new or 

 revised DEIS when it is made available for comment. 



The Minerals Management Service's 

 Environmental Studies Program 



As noted above, the Minerals Management Service is respon- 

 sible for assessing and avoiding or mitigating possible adverse 

 environmental effects of offshore oil and gas exploration and 

 development. To help meet this responsibility, the Service has 

 established an Environmental Studies Program, administered 

 regionally by its OCS offices in New Orleans, Louisiana; Los 

 Angeles, California; Anchorage, Alaska; and Herndon, Virginia. 

 The Service also has contracted with the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration's Office of Oceanography and Marine 

 Assessment, National Ocean Service, to plan and administer the 

 Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program. 



To help the Service meet its responsibilities with regard to 

 the conservation and protection of marine mammals, the 

 Commission, in consultation with its Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors: reviews and provides comments on regional studies 

 plans, environmental impact statements, and requests for 

 proposals related to marine mammal research developed by the 

 Service; participates, as requested, in meetings of Technical 

 Proposal Evaluation Committees convened by the Service to review 

 research proposals; and helps plan and participates in meetings 

 and workshops to review and coordinate relevant research programs 

 being conducted or planned by the Minerals Management Service, 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and Wildlife 



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