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conducting the analyses: 1) hydrocarbon chemists; 2) trace metal chemists 

 and geologists; and 3) marine biologists and ecologists. Results from 

 these analyses are synthesized and interpreted by the scientists 

 themselves and by a Scientific Review Board established by DOI that 

 includes scientists under contract as well as independent specialists. 

 In this way, information from the program is subjected to broad internal 

 peer review before it is reported to the BTF and others. Attached to the 

 testimony are details of the monitoring program, the contracts that DOI 

 issued for conducting the program, and other studies that DOI has 

 performed to increase our knowledge of the area. 



Also included a report of the first year's monitoring results, which 

 indicates that exploratory drilling has caused no significant 

 biological effects on bottom communities. We are nearing the completion 

 of the second year of the monitoring program, and preliminary results 

 from the second year have not siltered the assessment produced by the 

 first year effort. To date, the Department has committed $4.3 million 

 to the monitoring program, and a continuation effort into the third year 

 is planned at an estimated cost of $1.5 million. 



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