OCS Scientific Committee Meeting Summary - Sand
Gravel Update – OCS Policy Committee
Mr. George Banino, Chair of the Sand and Gravel Subcommittee, explained that this
subcommittee was established in 1999 in response to increasing requests for sand and
gravel. Public Law 103-426, enacted in 1994, gives the MMS the authority to negotiate
non-competitive rights to OCS sand, gravel, and shell resources for public purposes. This
Subcommitee worked closely with INTERMAR to develop guidelines for negotiations and to
develop a basis for fees for sand gravel. However, in 1999, the Water Resources and
Development Act eliminated fees for State and local governments. The Subcommittee supports
INTERMAR’s Sand and Gravel Program and supports additional funding for cooperative
studies and program management.
In 1996, Amboy Aggregates asked for commercial lease sale offshore and two public meetings
were held in New Jersey which had been attended by individuals in favor of and against
this commercial lease sale. The Department of the Interior’s Secretary, Mr. Bruce
Babbitt, rejected to prepare an EIS on the objections raised and, therefore, the project
was terminated.
Mr. Banino requested that the SC have a representative of the sand and gravel mining
community appointed to its Committee. This would benefit the MMS in the proper oversight
for hard mineral interests in relation to resource studies and environmental studies.
For more information, contact Julie Reynolds.
