Environmental Information for Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Decisions in Alaska

This book reviews the adequacy of information available for predicting and managing the environmental and human effects of oil and gas activities on Alaska's Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). It examines how the Alaskan OCS and adjacent onshore natural and human environments differ from those in more temperate waters and to what degree the information characterizes those differences. (It also recommends alternatives to further studies in some cases where more information would be helpful for decisionmaking.)Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 Introduction2 Description of Operations3 Geological Setting and Hydrocarbon Resource Base4 Physical Environment5 Biotic Resources6 Human Environment7 Mitigation and Remediation of Oil and Gas Activities8 General Conclusions and an Alternative to Additional StudiesReferencesAppendix A: MMS's OCS Oil and Gas Decision ProcessAbbreviations & AcronymsGlossaryBiographical Information on Committee Members