FOR RELEASE: December 5, 1995 CONTACT: Tom DeRocco (202) 208-3983 MMS ESTABLISHES JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION FOR SELECT OCS AREAS UNDER MORATORIA The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has established a Joint Subcommittee on Environmental Information for Select Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Areas Under Moratoria. "The subcommittee will provide an independent review and evaluation of specific information needs for areas where controversy has led to Presidential or Congressional restrictions on leasing on the OCS," said MMS Director Cynthia Quarterman. According to Paul Kelly, chairman of the OCS Policy Committee, and Michael Fry, chairman of the OCS Scientific Committee, at their meetings earlier this year both committees called for establishment of the Joint Subcommittee. The subcommittee will include members from the OCS Policy Committee and the OCS Scientific Committee of the Interior Department's Minerals Management Advisory Board. Kelly and Fry jointly named as co-chairs former Scientific Committee member Larry P. Atkinson, of the Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, and Policy Committee member Ernest A. Mancini, State Geologist & Supervisor for the Geological Survey of Alabama. "Under the able leadership of Messrs. Atkinson and Mancini," said Quarterman, "this subcommittee can perform a real service by helping the Department and MMS to more efficiently and effectively focus valuable research funds, and address questions critical to OCS program decisions." "This is a good example of how government should work," added Kelly. "These committees exist to provide advice and counsel and to act as a sounding board. When the talents and expertise of the federal government are combined with those in state government and the private sector in order to try and resolve a problem, only good things can result." Quarterman said that the subcommittee will assess environmental information and studies requirements in light of budgetary constraints, offshore oil and gas state-of-the-art technology, the offshore industry's environmental record, industry interest, and the nature of the potential hydrocarbon resources in the areas under review (i.e., oil and natural gas). "The MMS environmental studies program has severe budgetary restrictions," said Fry. "Combining the knowledge and expertise from these two committees gives us an opportunity to develop comprehensive and specific recommendations on how these funds should be allocated." Fry said that the subcommittee, which will submit a report to the MMS Director within a year of its formation, may also identify and evaluate alternative strategies such as mitigation measures and stipulations which could influence the need for additional studies. The MMS is the federal agency that manages the Nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, and collects and disburses about $4 billion yearly in revenues from offshore federal mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on federal and Indian lands. --MMS-- EDITORS NOTE: The Subcommittee Membership List is attached. Subcommittee on Environmental Information for Select OCS Areas Under Moratoria MEMBERSHIP LIST Larry P. Atkinson (CO-CHAIR) Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography Crittenton Hall Old Dominion University 768 52nd Street Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0276 804-683-4926 fax 804-683-5550 Internet ID: atkinson@ccpo.odu.edu Warner Chabot Center for Marine Conservation 580 Market Street Suite 550 San Francisco, California 94104 415-391-6204 fax 415-956-7441 Kim Crawford Ocean Resources Specialist North Carolina Division of Coastal Management P. O. Box 27687 Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7687 919-733-2293 fax 919-733-1495 Joanna Endter-Wada Assistant Professor Department of Forest Resource Utah State University Logan, Utah 84322-1675 801-797-2487 fax 801-797-4040 Internet ID: Endter@cc.usu.edu Donald Michael Fry Research Physiologist Director, Center for Avian Biology University of California at Davis Davis, California 95616 916-752-1201 fax 916-752-0753 Internet ID: dmfry@UCDavis.edu William R. Herrin Vice President and General Gulf of Mexico Business Unit Chevron U.S.A. Production Company 935 Gravier Street, Room 1280 New Orleans, Louisiana 70012 504-592-6234 fax 504-592-6302 Ernest A. Mancini (CO-CHAIR) State Geologist & Supervisor Geological Survey of Alabama P.O. Box O 420 Hackberry Lane Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35486-9780 205-349-2852 fax 205-349-2861 Lisa Polak Chief Analyst, Environmental Policy OPB, Environmental Policy/Community and Economic Development Executive Office of the Governor The Capitol, Suite 1501 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001 904-488-5551 fax 904-922-6200 James P. Ray Manager, Environmental Sciences Shell Oil Products Co./Shell Chemical Co. 910 Louisiana Street Houston, Texas 77002 713-241-3060 fax 713-241-0256 Internet ID: JPRAY@NEOSOFT.Com