Pacific Region
Environmental
Monitoring Studies
The Pacific
Region conducts scientific Environmental Monitoring Studies to provide
an objective basis for the development and implementation of
environmental protection measures to protect coastal and marine
resources. The Region conducts in-house monitoring studies with MMS
personnel and contracts out monitoring studies through the
Environmental Studies Program. One study of note is the Environmental
Mitigation Monitoring Study which provides for real time monitoring
and field verifications of selected MMS projects to develop the most
effective and scientifically sound mitigation measures and project
conditions for future oil and gas operations.
Environmental
Mitigation Monitoring Study
The study goals
are to observe, sample, and/or monitor OCS oil and gas operations in
the Pacific OCS Region to determine the actual implementation of the
environmental compliance mitigation requirements and the effectiveness
of these requirements. Information from environmental mitigation
monitoring studies aids decision makers in developing more effective
and scientifically sound mitigation measures and project conditions
for future oil and gas operations.
For further
information, see the study profile for:
Multi-Agency
Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe)
Scientists from
Federal, State, and local government agencies, universities, and
private and volunteer organizations have formed a Multi-Agency Rocky
Intertidal Network (MARINe) to monitor important shoreline resources.
For further
information, see the MARINe website and the study profile.
MMS Intertidal
Team (MINT)
The objective of
the MMS Intertidal Team (MINT), which is made up of Pacific Region
environmental scientists, is to monitor the health of the rocky
intertidal resources in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties adjacent to
OCS oil and gas operations and to better understand the changes
observed.
For further
information, see the
MINT website and the study profile.
Coastal
Bird Research Program
The goal of the
MMS Pacific Region's in-house research program on coastal birds is to
ensure MMS has the most up-to-date information feasible on species of
birds that might be affected in some way by offshore oil development.
Because birds are so vulnerable to contact with oil, the effect of an
accidental oil spill on bird populations is a major concern. In
response to the dearth of recent information on both shorebirds and
seabirds, MMS initiated three in-house and contracted studies:
-
a
study of shorebirds occupying sandy beaches of Ventura County,
-
a
study of the availability of shorebird prey and physical
characteristics of the sandy beaches of Ventura County, and
-
a
study of seabirds and marine mammals occurring off southern
California.
Return to Environmental Compliance
Program
Web Master:
Nollie
Gildow-Owens
Page content last updated 09/20/2006
Page last published 09/20/2006 | 
