Content questions?
Please write to the
contact listed at the
bottom of the page.

Technical questions?
Please Write:
OEMM Web Team

This page last updated:
July 14, 2008

OCS Scientific Committee Meeting Summary

National Ocean Conference Report: Actions and Initiatives

1. OCS Moratoria Extension. Mr. Ralph Ainger explained that under section 12 of the OCS Lands Act, the President has withdrawn a number of OCS Planning Areas from leasing consideration until after June 30, 2012. This action has little effect on the current 5-year Program (1997-2002) since the withdrawal generally conforms to that program, i.e., areas on the schedule have not been withdrawn.
   
   The President’s withdrawal will have an effect on future 5-Year Programs, however. Instead of beginning the 5-Year planning process by considering all 26 planning areas, MMS will begin with just the areas remaining in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska Regions. Additionally, it is expected that most of the Alaska planning areas will be eliminated early in the process due to low resource potential and/or the high cost of development.
   
   The President’s action, together with other streamlining initiatives MMS is proposing, will simplify and shorten the 5-Year planning process.
   
   
2. National Ocean Conference Initiatives. slide presentation Dr. Ken Turgeon described the National Ocean Conference as a key U.S. Year of the Ocean event which was held in Monterey, California on June 11-12, 1998. At the conference, President Clinton and Vice President Gore announced several major ocean initiatives for the Nation to protect our valuable ocean resources and to benefit from them in a manner consistent with wise environmental stewardship. Mrs. Clinton, several members of Congress, and approximately 500 invited participants from academia, governments, environmental groups, and industry also attended the conference.  

For more information, contact Julie Reynolds.