Regulating Drilling Effluents on Georges Bank and the Mid-Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf: A Scientific and Legal Analysis

This study is an analysis of issues surrounding the regulation of discharges from oil and gas drilling operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) with particular reference to the North and Mid-Atlantic regions. It was prepared for the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New Jersey to assist them in evaluating proposed drilling operations on Georges Bank and future drilling in the Mid-Atlantic. The report consists of a summary of the literature on the fate and effects of drilling mud discharges, a history of the permits which have been issued for exploratory drilling in four OCS regions, and a discussion of issues concerning the monitoring of permit compliance.Financial assistance for the preparation of this report was provided by the Office of Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the coastal programs of the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Contract management was handled by the New England River Basins Commission.Purpose: To provide an analysis of current oil and gas drilling effluent research, particularly in the Outer Continental Shelf, and the legal framework for the regulation of these discharges