Offshore Oil and Gas
The U.S. continental shelf yields much offshore oil and gas; in 1998, about 27 percent of the natural gas and 18 percent of the oil produced in the United States came from the federally managed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). (These figures do not include significant oil and gas extraction occurring in state waters.) Offshore oil and gas account for a vital source of federal revenues, second only to individual and corporate income taxes. About $3 billion to $4 billion are collected each year through bonuses, rents, and royalties from OCS-producing fields, with total revenues from OCS production equaling $110 billion from 1953-1998. Approximately 85,000 Americans are employed directly by the offshore oil and gas industry, with another 85,000 employed in supporting jobs (YOTO, 1998).
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the Department of the Interior is responsible for managing the mineral resources on the OCS, ensuring safe, environmentally sound operations.
The future prosperity of coastal communities is dependent upon comprehensive planning both for growth and development or redevelopment, and for healthy natural systems and resources like fisheries and clean beaches. With so much economic activity, and so many people and jobs dependent on the coast, it is vitally important to sustain coastal communities, and there is a growing need to provide decision-makers in each community with the tools, information, and assistance needed to manage the resources in their specific place.