Background:
The Louisiana CMI at LSU was established in 1992 to use highly qualified scientific expertise in the Gulf of Mexico region to collect and disseminate environmental information needed for outer continental shelf (OCS) oil and gas, renewable energy, and marine minerals decisions; address

credit:

local and regional OCS-related environmental and resource issues of mutual interest; and strengthen the BOEM-State partnership in addressing OCS oil and gas, renewable energy, and marine ecosystem information needs.

Purpose:
BOEM seeks studies from LSU that will provide public benefit in several ways.

The studies will stimulate the application of science to problem solving and protection of natural resources.

They will promote educational opportunities in the ocean sciences.

They will lead to protection of natural resources of value to subsistence lifestyles.

The research will inform the public and resource managers at the local, State and Federal levels who make decisions about issues relating to offshore oil, gas, renewable energy and other marine minerals Results may be cited in Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments of 5-year leasing plans, offshore lease sales, exploration plans, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents in the Gulf of Mexico.

Examples of BOEM environmental analyses can be seen at http://www.boem.gov/EnvironmentalStewardship/Environmental-Assessment/NEPA/nepaprocess.aspx.