5 Things to Know About the BOEM Marine Minerals Program
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
We manage our offshore energy, mineral, and geological resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way.
BOEM is the only federal organization that leases marine minerals.
As the sole federal organization with the authority to lease marine minerals from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), BOEM partners with communities to provide sand and gravel for shore protection, beach nourishment and wetlands restoration.
By allocating nearly 193 million cubic yards of sand, BOEM has helped restore over 481 miles of coastline in eight states.
Since the first nourishment project using OCS sand occurred in the mid-nineties, more than 50 projects have been constructed in partnership with federal agencies, states, and local governments. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for OCS sediment for planned projects, as well as for emergency needs to restore areas damaged by natural disasters. Using the mineral resources available offshore, NASA and Navy facilities, and even National Parks have been protected using OCS sand.
Data on offshore sand resources is featured in a National Offshore Sand Inventory.
This BOEM-funded inventory shares critical information about sediment quality, quantity, location, and accessibility. Housed within the GIS-based Marine Minerals Information System (MMIS), this sand inventory data informs planning, improves response time, bolsters preparedness, and guides research investments. The research includes supply and demand, resource evaluation, risk assessment, and borrow area optimization studies.
There's always more to learn about OCS sand.
To use OCS marine minerals in the most efficient manner, BOEM is continually searching for new sand resources to determine useability and availability for coastal protection and restoration projects and to better manage limited resources. There is still much to discover about the character, quantity, and location of OCS sand resources. To learn more about these important minerals, BOEM invests millions annually in state-of-the-art mineral resource identification projects and complementary environmental research.
BOEM ensures environmental stewardship of sand resources.
As vital sources of material for nature-based coastal protection and restoration projects, OCS sand and sediment help protect coastal habitats and communities from the onslaught of destructive wind and water. During each project BOEM ensures OCS sand is dredged in an environmentally responsible way and applies a variety of mitigation measures to help protect precious habitats.
Mitigation measures such as protecting in-water or nesting sea turtles and avoiding disturbing offshore shipwrecks are an integral part of project planning and construction. These measures are derived from years of BOEM-funded environmental research and experience monitoring similar projects.