354 



12 



includes members of the Federal agencies on the BTF as well as a 

 representative from the State of Massachusetts. 



The monitoring problem becomes much more complicated in the deeper 

 waters than in the shallower. In continental slope and rise areas, 

 drilling muds and cuttings would be discharged, diluted and dispersed in 

 much greater volumes of water and over much greater depths than on 

 the continental shelf. 



Operational problems intrude. Industry experience in deepwater 

 exploratory drilling is limited; little deepwater monitoring has been 

 attempted; relatively little is known about the physical and biological 

 characteristics of continental slope and rise areas. The availability of 

 suitable sampling and observational platforms, for example, submersibles, 

 may be a significant problem. 



In view of the above factors, the BTF program will expand 

 geographically, technically, and in its difficulty. Other elements the 

 BTF foresees involve the development and production phases of the oil/gas 

 operations. Nonetheless, with the continued full cooperation of the 

 charter agencies, the BTF will be able to do its job. 



