MMS Publishes ROD for Final OCS Alternative Energy PEIS
On January 10, 2008, the U.S. Minerals Management Service announced in the Federal Register that MMS has prepared the final Record of Decision for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the establishment of an alternative energy and alternate use program on the Outer Continental Shelf.

This program is authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It allows the Secretary of the Department of the Interior to issue leases, easements, or ROWs for activities on the OCS that produce or support production, transportation or transmission of energy from sources other than oil and gas, and which are not otherwise authorized by law.

In its final ROD, MMS selected its Preferred Alternative, which allows MMS to authorize alternative projects on a case by case basis pending MMS' promulgation of rules governing the program.