1 You clearly have made predictions and what you are really talking 



2 about is the ability to improve the ability to do so. You know, you can 



3 figure out how strongly you want to word that. 



4 DR. VALENTINE: What was your suggestion? "--would improve the 



5 ability to predict potential impacts and--" 



6 DR. GRASSLE: Do you want to say "--to predict and avoid--"? 



7 DR. KRAEUTER: No. Studies would not help to avoid. They would 



8 just help you to predict. It is two separate steps. Study will not 



9 help you avoid. The study will help you predict so you can design 



10 something to avoid. 



11 (Simultaneous discussion.) 



12 DR. VALENTINE: How does it read now? 



13 DR. GRASSLE: "--would improve the ability to predict potential 



14 impacts." Do we want to have "--on canyon biota?" I like leaving it 



15 in. 



16 DR. VALENTINE: That is the main thing we are talking about. 



17 DR. GRASSLE: Good. Now we are going back to page 9 to see if 



18 there is anything that we haven't covered in A, B or C that needs to be 



19 added in. 



20 (Simultaneous discussion.) 



21 DR. VALENTINE: I think we ought to discuss making the suggestion 



22 that, if there is exploratory drilling in one of these canyon rims in 



23 the future, that MMS undertake an investigation before, during, and 



24 after. 



25 DR. COOPER: Before and during. 



26 DR. VALENTINE: Exploratory would be before, during, and after. 



27 DR. KRAEUTER: I do not think we ought to lock them into it. 



28 DR. GRASSLE: We are not locking them into anything, because they 



29 are the ones that make the decision. You know, we can--that would be a 



30 definite need to take that opportunity to see if anything happens. 



31 DR. MACIOLEK: As a recommendation. 



32 DR. GRASSLE: Yes. They do not have to take our recommendation. 



33 I would not limit it to exploratory- -I would just say drilling activity. 



34 DR. VALENTINE: Or near a canyon rim. 



425 



