Minerals Management Service Issues Environmental Impact
Statement On Offshore Alternative Energy Developments
Summary: Recently, the U.S. Department of
the Interior (DOI), Minerals Management Service (MMS),
completed a final environmental impact statement (EIS)
supporting offshore alternative energy projects on the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) as well as other projects that make
alternate use of existing facilities on the OCS for
energy-related purposes or other marine-related purposes.
Background: Under the Energy Policy Act of
2005, the DOI has authority to develop and implement a program
for authorizing alternative energy projects and alternate uses
of existing facilities on the OCS (Program). This Program is
administered by MMS, a DOI bureau. Because establishment of the
Program constitutes agency action with the potential for
significant impact on the environment, MMS was required to
prepare
