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.)