Marine Science Affairs 



most efficient development of OCS resources at a fair market value and 

 that will serve producer, consumer, and public interests most equitably. 

 Particular attention has been given to leasing practices — timing of sales, 

 procedures for conducting sales, size and tenure of leases, bonus and royalty 

 terms — in the light of the expanding activities of the Shelf. This study will 

 provide a basis for analyzing the views of all interested parties prior to deter- 

 mination of possible policy changes. Data on the geology, exploration, devel- 

 opment, production, and anticipated national requirements of oil, gas, and 

 sulfur on the OCS have been assembled as background for the review and 

 will be published separately. 



2. A more deliberate program of environmental protection is being de- 

 veloped. With regard to offshore oil exploitation, the Geological Survey 

 will examine whether equipment is adequate to prevent release of oil into 

 the oceans in case of disaster as well as during normal operations. Building 

 on industry's widespread consciousness of the need to prevent pollution, in- 

 creased attention will be devoted to determining that the design characteris- 

 tics of support equipment and facilities provide for containment of oil 

 spilled by accident or through equipment failure. 



In the area of marine mining, the Bureau of Mines in cooperation with 

 the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries will intensify studies (a) to develop 

 an understanding of the ecological effects of potential mineral exploitation ; 

 (b) to improve understanding of the effects of mining technologies likely to 

 be employed in selected environments representative of potential mining 

 target areas, with particular emphasis on turbidity, sediment transport, and 

 changes in bottom configuration; and (c) to develop a system of environ- 

 mental monitoring to be employed when mining operations begin. Although 

 this effort is primarily oriented toward preventing damage to marine life, 

 emphasis will also be placed on possible beneficial side-effects of marine min- 

 ing such as releasing trapped nutrients from mined sediments and using 

 residual material for beach and shoreline restoration projects. 



3. The importance of prompt reconnaissance surveys of the Shelf — as a 

 guide to both resource development and to policy formulation — is clear. 

 Knowing what is there is a necessary prerequisite to many decisions, public 

 and private, national and international. Therefore, during the past two 

 years the Marine Sciences Council has identified as an important next step 

 the completion of geological, geophysical, and bathymetric mapping of the 

 U.S. Continental Shelf at reconnaissance scale. 



During FY 1970, resource appraisal activities of the Geological Survey 

 are budgeted at $3.4 million. Bathymetric and geophysical mapping and 

 other studies of ESSA, which directly contribute to resource mapping, are 

 budgeted at nearly $13.6 million, and substantial contributions will be made 

 by the Navy. The program also will include participation by universities, re- 

 search institutions, and industry as well as the Federal Government. 



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