About CMI
Background
The University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) was created by a cooperative agreement between the University of Alaska and the U. S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Alaska Region (MMS) to study coastal topics associated with the development of natural gas, oil, and minerals in Alaska's outer continental shelf (OCS). Under this cooperative program, MMS taps the highly qualified scientific expertise at the University of Alaska to:
1. Collect and disseminate environmental information needed for OCS oil, gas, and marine minerals decisions.
2. Address local and regional OCS-related environmental and resource issues of mutual interest.
3. Strengthen the partnership between MMS and the states by addressing OCS oil and gas and marine minerals information needs.
Many of the CMI funded projects address a combination of issues related to fisheries, biomonitoring, physical oceanography, and the fates of oil.
Evolution of Coastal Marine Institutes
The U. S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service administers the outer continental shelf (OCS) natural gas, oil, and marine minerals program. The program oversees the safe and environmentally sound leasing, exploration, and production of these resources within our nation's offshore areas. The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) was formally directed in 1978, under Section 20 of the OCS Lands Act Amendments, to provide information for decisions involving the planning, leasing, and management of offshore exploration, development, and production. The research agenda is driven by issues, concerns, or data gaps identified by federal decision makers and state and local governments who participate in the process. ESP research focuses on the following broad issues associated with the development of OCS natural gas, oil, and minerals: What are the fates and effects of potential OCS-related pollutants (e.g., oil, noise, drilling muds and cuttings, products of fuel combustion) in the marine and coastal environment and atmosphere? What biological resources (such as fish populations) exist, and what resources are at risk? What is the nature and extent of the risk? What measures must be taken to allow extraction to take place? How do OCS activities affect people in terms of jobs and the economy? What are the direct and indirect effects on local culture? What are the psychological effects of the proposed OCS activities?
MMS and the individual states have distinct but complementary roles in the decision making process and scientific information is needed by MMS, the states, and localities potentially affected by resource exploration and extraction on the outer continental shelf. To ensure local cooperation and issue identification, MMS has developed the locally managed Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) program. CMI partnerships exist with three universities: Louisiana State University, the University of California Santa Barbara, and the University of Alaska.
University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute
Alaska was selected as the location for a CMI because it contains some of the major potential offshore oil and gas producing areas in the United States. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is uniquely suited to participate in this venture by virtue of its flagship status in the state university system, and because of its nationally recognized scope and depth of marine and coastal expertise, especially within the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. These resources are relevant to the broad range of OCS program information needs. MMS and the University of Alaska also have worked cooperatively on ESP studies for many years. Research projects funded by CMI are required to have at least one active University of Alaska investigator. Cooperative research between University of Alaska scientists and various state agencies is encouraged.
The MMS web site contains the Alaska annual studies plan. This information, including environmental and socioeconomic research needs, is particularly useful in the development of research proposals.
Framework Issues
All research projects must address at least one of the Framework Issues agreed upon by MMS, the University, and the State of Alaska.
- Scientific studies for better understanding marine, coastal, or
human environments affected or potentially affected by offshore oil and
gas or other mineral exploration and extraction on the outer continental shelf;
- Modeling studies of environmental, social, economic, or cultural
processes related to OCS gas and oil activities in order to improve
scientific predictive capabilities;
- Experimental studies for better understanding of environmental
processes or the causes and effects of OCS activities;
- Projects which design or establish mechanisms or protocols for
sharing of data or scientific information regarding marine or coastal
resources or human activities to support prudent management of oil and gas
and marine mineral resources; and
- Synthesis studies of scientific environmental or socioeconomic
information relevant to the OCS gas and oil program.
More Information
There is more information on the University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute available at the Alaska Research section of the US Minerals Management Service web site.
For yet more information, contact Dr. Michael Castellini at:
University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220
Telephone: (907) 474-6825
Fax: (907) 474-7204
E-mail: mikec@ims.uaf.edu