Offshore Sand Resource Management - Marine Minerals Information System "A Data Management Pillar of the National Sand Inventory"

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sand and gravel resources are vital sources of material for the construction of coastal protection and restoration projects, including efforts to protect coastal communities, national defense facilities, and federal and state infrastructure. 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. Further, given the significant number of other ocean users (e.g., energy infrastructure, fiber optic telecommunication cables, electrical transmission lines, and fisheries), BOEM strives to reduce or eliminate the potential for multiple use conflicts or environmental impacts that could result from marine minerals projects.

On a national scale, little is known about the character, quantity, and location of sediment resources on the OCS or the habitat this offers marine biological communities. To inform, support and enable multi-use ocean planning, coastal protection and restoration projects, it is crucial to know the location and extent of compatible sediment resources on the OCS. As a steward of offshore sediment resources, it is critical that we have our sand resources organized and that we allow easy access to this information. To meet these challenges, BOEM has launched the Marine Minerals Information System (MMIS) as part of the National Offshore Sand Inventory to help to reduce response time in disaster recovery and facilitate long-term planning to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities and infrastructure. Ensuring all parties have access to detailed offshore information is critical to responsible decision-making. MMIS offers an interactive tool that provides public access to data and information relevant to offshore mineral resources throughout the U.S. Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific OCS. It is accessible at https://mmis.doi.gov/BOEMMMIS.