Use of federal sand for beach nourishment and shore protection projects

Coastal shoreline protection and beach nourishment are significant issues for coastal states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In some areas, there is a critical need to identify suitable sources of sand for possible use in public works; projects for coastal protection. The continental shelf contains large resources of sand and gravel that could be used to support such projects. The U.S. Department of the Interior's (DOI) Minerals Management Service (MMS) provides policy direction and guidance for development of the resources located on the federal portion of the continental shelf This article highlights the MMS's Sand Program, focusing on its cooperative resource and environmental studies with several coastal states, significant milestones and accomplishments, and anticipated activities in 1998 and beyond. Management of sand resources on the federal portion of the continental shelf has been made easier by a federal-state partnership concept. Using this cooperative concept, joint projects are being conducted to investigate offshore sand resources, potential sites, extraction methods, and related environmental conditions. The MMS has procedures for negotiating sand agreements under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and ensuring that the resources are developed in an environmentally sound manner. The authority to negotiate with project sponsors, an important recent change in the OCSLA, also resides with the MMS. This 1992 change in OCSLA facilitates the use of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) resources for public projects. Further, the MMS is authorized to assess a fee based on the value of the resource and the public interest served The MMS has worked with local sponsors and authorized the use of OCS sand for two projects. However additional resource and environmental projects, as well as negotiated agreements, are anticipated within the near future with states and local governments along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.