1974. In addition to bonus payments, thfe Government has received 

 royalty and rental payments of over $2.6 billion. 



Oil production from the OCS for 1973 was 394.7 million barrels. 

 This represents a decline of nearly 4 percent from 1972 production. 

 The drop in production is attributed to a partial moratorium on 

 leasing, brought about by injunctions on environmental grounds, 

 from 1970 through the fall of 1972. Production is expected to increase 

 sharply by 1975 when leases sold since 1972 are developed. 



The Department of the Interior has jurisdiction over the OCS 

 lands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has the responsibility 

 of administering the OCS leasing program, including scheduling of 

 lease sales, and preparation of environmental impact statements and 

 public hearings for each sale in accordance with the requirements of 

 the National Environmental Policy Act. 



The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has regulatory responsiblity 

 for the OCS lands. This responsibility involves development and 

 enforcement of operating regulations for exploration and production 

 and environmental protection. Currently, the USGS regulatory role 

 involves about 720 producing oil and gas tracts containing more than 

 6,420 wells. Seventeen of the producing tracts are located in 

 southern California, with the remaining located in the Gulf of 

 Mexico off Louisiana and Texas. Production from new sales tracts 

 may be expected in as soon as two years in the Gulf of Mexico and 

 within ten years in new areas. 



In striving to meet the President's program of accelerated leasing 

 on the OCS, BLM-USGS have begun baseline and other studies in 

 new frontier OCS areas. These studies will serve to insure orderly 

 exploration and development of leases and to formulate proper 

 procedures to protect the environment. 



Living Resources 



A milestone in the conservation of endangered species of whale, 

 seal, and other marine mammals was reached in May, 1973, when the 

 first commissioners were appointed to the Marine Mammal 

 Commission, established under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

 of 1972. A few months later, nine noted scientists were appointed to 

 the Commission's Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine 

 Mammals. The Act sets forth a national policy to protect marine 

 mammal species and population stocks from the danger of 

 extinction. 



Consistent with its charge under the act, the Commission has made 

 specific recommendations to the Secretaries of Commerce and 

 Interior on a number of issues, and special subcommittees have been 

 established and are preparing recommendations on other matters of 

 special urgency. More than two-thirds of the FY '74 appropriation 



598-460 O - 75 



