|
The
NewsRoom
Release: #3215
Date: December 13, 2004
MMS Announces a Project to Enhance Gulf Coast
Area Meteorological/Air Quality Data Analysis and Modeling
The Minerals Management Service
has awarded a new contract to Vaisala, Inc. for a project to support
Gulf coast area meteorological data analysis and air quality
modeling. Under this contract, a radar wind profiler has been
deployed to measure meteorological parameters essential to robust
coastal zone meteorological/air quality data analysis and modeling.
The radar wind profiler data,
combined with other onshore and offshore meteorological/air quality
information, will benefit current and future air quality modeling
simulations conducted by MMS, Gulf Coast, States and national regional
air quality planning organizations (RPOs). The States and RPOs are
responsible for State Implementation Plans addressing ozone, fine
particulate matter, and regional haze.
In addition to the air quality
regulatory uses, the data will also be accessible by the public for
research or other operational purposes. The data can be acquired at
the National Oceanographic
Atmospheric Administration, National Profiler Network.
In October 2004, Vaisala
installed the radar wind profiler at the Louisiana Universities Marine
Consortium (LUMCON) facility in Chauvin, Louisiana. LUMCON management
and staff provided outstanding support during all phases of the
project, from planning to site preparation, radar profiler
installation, and testing/evaluation. Additional information is
available at the
LUMCON
weather website.
The
Minerals Management Service is the federal bureau in the U.S.
Department of the Interior that manages the nation’s oil, natural gas
and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in
federal offshore waters. Currently, about 30 percent of the oil and
23 percent of the gas produced domestically comes from these federal
waters. The bureau also collects, accounts for, and disburses mineral
revenues from Federal and American Indian lands. MMS
disbursed approximately $8 billion in Fiscal Year 2004 and more than
$143 billion since it was created in 1982. Nearly $1 billion from
those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund annually
for the acquisition and development of state and federal park and
recreation lands.
Relevant Web Sites:
MMS Main Website
Gulf of Mexico Website
Media Contacts:
Debra Winbush (504)
736-2597
Caryl Fagot (504)
736-2590
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for
America
U.S. Department of the Interior
Privacy |
Disclaimers |
Accessibility |
Topic Index | FOIA
|