Benthic Study of the Continental Slope Off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Volume 1. Executive Summary

摘要

Because of the potential impact on the environment associated with development and production activities, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 mandated that a panel of experts, the North Carolina Environmental Sciences Review Panel (NCESRP), be convened. Their purpose was to consider whether the availability of scientific information was adequate for making decisions about oil and gas leasing, exploration, and development off North Carolina. The present study was developed by the Minerals Management Service because of concern raised by the NCESRP (1992) that not more than 5 percent of the unusual benthic community be covered by drill muds and cuttings. The principal task of the study was to determine if the communities extended over an area of the sea floor that was 20 time larger then the area estimated to be covered by drill muds and cuttings. If more than 5 percent of the unusual benthic community were covered by drill muds and cuttings, the NCESRP recommended that a study be carried out to determine the recovery rate of this community.