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 Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 Introduction
2 Description of Operations
3 Geological Setting and Hydrocarbon Resource Base
4 Physical Environment
5 Biotic Resources
6 Human Environment
7 Mitigation and Remediation of Oil and Gas Activities
8 General Conclusions and an Alternative to Additional Studies
References
Appendix A: MMS's OCS Oil and Gas Decision Process
Abbreviations & Acronyms
Glossary
Biographical Information on Committee Members