MMS Approves $1 Million Grant for Louisiana
Shoreline Protection
CIAP grant will help prevent coastal erosion
NEW ORLEANS – The Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS)
recently awarded a $1 million grant to Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana through the Coastal
Impact Assistance Program (CIAP), for a shoreline protection project at the parish’s
Intracoastal Park.
(10/23/2009)
MMS Study Positively Identifies Giant Squid Presence
in Gulf of Mexico
Field Work for MMS Sperm Whale Prey Study Nets Giant Squid
NEW ORLEANS- During a recent research cruise, a rare giant squid was captured in the
Gulf of Mexico.
(09/21/2009)
Federal
Offshore Sand to Renourish Florida Beaches
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s
Minerals Management Service (MMS) will convey 1.3 million cubic yards of sand
from the Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to Brevard County, Fla. to help
shore up its eroding beaches.
(09/11/2009)
MMS Funding Expedition to
Study Deepwater Coral Habitats
WASHINGTON – The Interior
Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS), in collaboration with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean Exploration
and Research, recently launched the third expedition in a four-year, 3.7 million
dollar study to learn more about sensitive coral habitats and how to protect
them from potential threats.
(08/31/2009)
MMS Approves $450,000 Grant for Mississippi Heritage Resources
CIAP grant will fund project to gather information on gulf coast resource locations
NEW ORLEANS – The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has approved a grant for
$450,000 to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources through the Coastal Impact
Assistance Program (CIAP), to fund phases one and two of a project to document and
conserve the heritage resources of the Mississippi gulf coast.
(08/24/2009)
MMS Approves $400,000 Grant for Development and Growth Initiative
Funding to promote smart growth and sustainable development along coast
NEW ORLEANS – The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has approved a
$400,000 grant to the State of Mississippi through the Coastal Impact Assistance
Program (CIAP), to develop a Sustainable Development and Smart Growth Management
Initiative for the coastal counties of Mississippi.
(08/24/2009)
Offshore Lease Sale in Gulf Generates $115 Million;
Onshore Energy Sale in Utah Attracts $1.1 Million
NEW ORLEANS — A sale of federal oil and natural gas leases for the Western Gulf of
Mexico attracted $115,466,321 in high bids today, following yesterday’s $1.1
million sale of onshore energy leases in Utah, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
announced.
(08/19/2009)
MMS Study Assesses Hurricane Impacts
on Northern Gulf of Mexico Coral Reefs and Communities
Post-Hurricane Assessment Study provides baseline for future review
NEW ORLEANS -- The Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service
(MMS) recently concluded a study that gives new insight into the effects Hurricane Rita
had on the Gulf of Mexico’s important coral reefs and banks in and around the Flower
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
(08/17/2009)
MMS Approves
$383,000 Grant for Coastal Database Project
State of Texas to receive CIAP grant for
digital aerial photography acquisition
NEW ORLEANS – The Minerals Management Service
(MMS) has awarded a grant for $383,313 to the State of Texas through the Coastal
Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) for the development of a Digital Aerial
Photography database and storage system of the Texas coast.
(08/03/2009)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Department of the
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued the following statement regarding the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruling on DOI’s request
for clarification of the Court’s earlier decision to vacate the 2007-2012 Outer
Continental Shelf oil and natural gas leasing program:
“I am pleased with the Court’s decision.
Consistent with the Department’s request, the Court clarified that its prior
ruling only applies to the Chukchi, Beaufort and Bering Seas. We are moving
forward with the planned August 19th Gulf of Mexico lease sale.”
(07/29/2009)

MMS Ocean Science Magazine Highlights Mission-Related Activities
In this issue of Ocean
Science, MMS welcomes our new Director, Liz Birnbaum. We also highlight
collaborative research into Gulf of Mexico circulation, renewable energy testing
at Ohmsett, and exploratory leases for wind development on the Atlantic OCS.
(09/14/2009)