Marine Minerals Investigation in the Mid-Pacific Area; An Example of State and Federal Government Cooperation

Paul, Robert G.; ,

Marine Minerals Investigation in the Mid-Pacific Area; An Example of State and Federal Government Cooperation

by Robert G. Paul, Office of Resource Evaluation, Camarillo, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '91

Abstract:

For the past six years, representatives of the Federal government and the State of Hawaii have joined together to investigate marine cobalt-rich manganese crust occurrences in the U. S. Exclusive Economic Zone adjacent to the Hawaii archipelago and Johnston Island. Scientific cruises, technical studies, and the preparation of a marine mineral resources environmental impact statement have all been conducted under the management of a joint Federal-State task force formed in 1984 by the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Hawaii. The final environmental impact statement was publicly released in October, 1990. This document discusses the distribution of the crust resources, the need to develop the resources, and the environmental consequences of mining, transporting, and processing the resources. The multi-disciplinary background and rapport of the task force participants, as well as their communication with the public in Hawaii, have contributed significantly to the success of the program. The joint release of the environmental impact statement reflects a new era in governmental cooperation. The overwhelming success of the task force concept provided the foundation for continued cooperation through the Federal-State of Hawaii Joint Planning Arrangement, signed by the Secretary of the Interior and Governor of Hawaii in 1988. This long-term arrangement sets the stage for joint management of leasing and mining activities in the U. S. Exclusive Economic Zone adjacent to Hawaii and Johnston Island well into the next century.

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