Summary of Conference Findings
Issues Synopsis
In small group discussions of each of the three MMS regions, participants identified
major issues and a variety of subsidiary or component issues. They are presented in this
section by region.
[ Alaska Region ] [ Gulf
of Mexico Region ] [ Pacific Region ]
Alaska Region
Participants elaborated on several issues concerning Understanding
Dimensions of Impact Assessment. They noted the importance of the ripple effects of oil and gas development projects beyond
their immediate vicinities. A related issue of concern was the importance of choosing a
geographic unit of observation of appropriate scale when
assessing impacts on subsistence resources, particularly in the case of mobile resources
such as caribou or fish. They discussed at length the methodological difficulties of
assessing the cumulative effects of oil and gas development
and of distinguishing the effects of such development from
other processes of socioeconomic change. Monitoring Key
Indicators of socioeconomic change was also a focus of attention. Participants
discussed the complexities of selecting variables to
monitor and the specific issue of monitoring the effects of
cash income on subsistence production. It was asked, once a change is measured, how
does one evaluate that change? And, how can more be done to
engage local communities in all phases of the research
process, including addressing complex issues of evaluation?
One aspect of local involvement, Understanding and Using
Traditional Knowledge, received considerable attention. After extensive discussion of
how best to define traditional knowledge, participants
spoke of methodological and ethical dimensions of collecting it, ways of involving local
communities in its collection and the need to develop protocols for working with it. Understanding and
applying the evaluative dimension of traditional knowledge
also was of great interest to participants. The question of involving
local communities in collecting and using traditional knowledge touched on the larger
issue of Understanding and Facilitating Participation in all
aspects of MMS activity. Despite considerable MMS efforts to increase local community participation and some significant success,
local involvement remains problematic. Issues involved include the difficulty of
collaboration where there are stark differences in power
among the potential collaborators, the fact that stakeholders’ interests are diverse and changing and the complexities of
assessing claims to stakeholder status.
Gulf of Mexico Region
Understanding Oil and Gas Industry Restructuring was a
major concern among participants in discussions of the Gulf of Mexico Region. Many felt
that lack of a definition of the industry that captured
its complexity hampered consideration of restructuring, as did lack of a thorough
understanding of all dimensions of restructuring itself.
Participants also recommended efforts to understand how members of the oil and gas industry themselves understand restructuring, how
restructuring affects corporate cultures and how
researchers can distinguish the effects of restructuring
from other trends.
Discussion of Understanding the Oil and Gas Industry in
Relation to Local Communities paid special attention to what could be done to
understand communities in the Eastern Gulf that will be
affected by upcoming lease activities, but many issues of wider relevance also were
raised. Are socioeconomic studies in the Gulf paying sufficient attention to the role of communities in shaping their own futures? How best
can researchers understand local perceptions of oil and
gas development? How can stakeholder participation be
improved? What are the effects of restructuring on local
communities? How are oil and gas royalties collected
and do they benefit the communities experiencing the social and economic stress of oil and
gas development?
Interest in Making the Most of Data and Methods centered
on the need to assess and integrate existing databases and
models. Many participants were especially interested in
making better use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS),
which, among other things, offer one way to integrate otherwise disparate data. In
contracting new studies, some argued, researchers should
be encouraged to use methods and gather data that build on work that has gone before.
Pacific Region
Participants in discussions of the Pacific Region asked what has been learned from
socioeconomic studies in the region to date and recommended a larger effort at Synthesizing Research Results. This, it was suggested, should
embrace not only research conducted in the United States, but also elsewhere in the world.
A similar outward-looking impulse was manifest in strong support for Encouraging Cross-Disciplinary Research that brings together
not only diverse social sciences but also social scientists and natural scientists.
Understanding Decommissioning of offshore rigs is an
issue of great interest in the Pacific Region. Conference participants pointed out that
too little is known about the factors influencing industry
decommissioning decisions. And, while finding alternative
uses for decommissioned rigs is a popular idea, the real value of this strategy
requires further inquiry.
Pointing out that activist groups often dominate public participation in MMS
decision-making processes, some participants called for further efforts at Understanding Perceptions of Risk among Activists and the General
Public. And, as in discussions of the Alaska Region, participants raised questions
concerning Understanding Traditional Knowledge. Just what is it and how can it be
applied to MMS goals?
MMS personnel in the Pacific Region are closely attuned to uses of the ocean other than
subsistence production and mineral extraction. Hence, participants suggested the
importance of understanding the ocean’s intangible contribution to life on the
Pacific coast (Understanding the Role of the Ocean in Everyday
Life), including its contributions to sense of place, the aesthetic environment and
casual recreation. Understanding Recreation and Tourism as
an economic sector was also high on the list of Pacific Region priorities. Topics of
particular interest included understanding tourist perceptions
of offshore oil and gas industry activity, understanding how
perceptions of risk are related to the visibility of oil and gas industry structures,
and assessing more accurately tourism’s contribution to
local economies.
Finally, as in other regions, those working in the Pacific Region expressed active
interest in Using GIS in Socioeconomic Research. Some
qualifications regarding this powerful research tool, however, also were noted. (See full
discussion of Pacific Region issues - Clarifying the Role of
GIS in Funding Decisions, Requiring the Use of GIS, Preserving Data.)
For more information, contact Rodney Cluck.
