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study Title: 



Sponsoring Office: 

 Principal Investigator: 



BLM Contract Number: 

 Period of Performance: 



Study Cost: 



Objectives: 



Georges Bank Monitoring Program - 

 Analysis of Trace Metals in Bottom 

 Sediments 



New York OCS Office 



Dr. Mike Bothner 



U. S. Geological Survey 



Branch of Atlantic and Gulf Geology 



Woods Hole, MA 02543 



AA851-IA2-18 



April 1982 - December 1982 

 Reauthorized for FY 1983 



FY 1982: $324,849 Cumulative: $324,849 

 FY 1983: Commulative 



1 . Describe the distribution of trace metals discharged 

 during OCS oil and gas operations on Georges Bank. 



2. Quantitatively describe the dispersion, concentration, 

 and distribution of trace metals in bottom sediments 

 on or near Georges Bank. 



3. Evaluate trace metal concentrations in relation to 

 season and physical oceanographic conditions. 



4. Identify areas of trace metal accumulation on or near 

 Georges Bank. 



Background : 



The Biological Task Force for Sale #42 on Georges Bank was 

 established to recommend to the U. S. Minerals Management 

 Service's Supervisor for Oil and Gas Operations in the North 

 Atlauitic "the design of environmental studies and surveys 

 as well as periodic sampling of environmental conditions to 

 provide warning of adverse effects" of OCS operations. MMS 

 is currently funding the research program recommended by the 

 Biological Task Force on April 14, 198I. 



The major emphasis of the Biological Task Force's monitoring 

 program is to link the discharges from oil and gas operations 

 to effects on the benthic communities on or near Georges Bank. 

 This program design requires an understanding of the ( 1 ) 

 physical processes on Georges Bank which transport materials 

 and nutrients, (2) areas of pollutant accumulation, and (3) 

 effects of pollutants on various benthic communities of the 

 Georges Beink ecosystem. This contract is specifically for 

 the analysis of bottom sediments for the presence of trace 

 metals discharged from OCS oil and gas operations. 



