Coastal Issues | Energy and Government | Activities

What Is OCRM Doing Regarding Energy Issues?

Through its ocean and coastal management efforts, the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) is helping address energy issues in a number of ways.

Coastal Zone Management Program

The coastal management program seeks to balance often competing coastal uses, including energy facilities (background) and recreational boating (foreground).

One of the main objectives within the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) is to give priority consideration for coastal-dependent uses, including national interests such as siting major energy and government facilities while also preserving coastal resources. OCRM's Coastal Zone Management Program, in partnership with state coastal management programs, provides technical assistance and funding to support projects that address energy and government facility siting.

Through the Coastal Zone Enhancement Program's five-year assessments and strategies, states and territories have incentives to enhance their coastal management programs in a wide array of coastal issues of national significance, including energy and government facility siting. This program provides states with an opportunity to establish new regulations, policies and management plans to address energy and government facility siting.

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Federal Agency Coordination and Rulemaking

OCRM coordinates with other federal agencies involved in energy issues to ensure that requirements under the CZMA are considered. For example, OCRM has participated on the Administration's Energy Task Force, NOAA’s Energy Team and the Ocean Policy Task Force developing new coastal and ocean policy and a Coastal & Marine Spatial Planning framework.

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Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

OTEC is a renewable energy technology that uses the temperature difference between surface and deep ocean water in tropical areas to generate electricity. OCRM has licensing authority for commercial scale OTEC projects under the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act (OTECA). While long-dormant, there has been a recent upswing of interest in building OTEC facilities, and OCRM is rebuilding its OTEC capabilities. OCRM has started a dialogue with the OTEC community, including academics, private sector interests, NGOs, and other federal agencies to begin building a regulatory pathway to commercialize OTEC facilities.

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Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP)

OCRM is supporting federal, state, and regional coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) efforts by providing mapping and policy assistance. CMSP can provide a valuable framework for energy facility siting. In particular, comprehensive mapping and planning that takes into account natural resources, human uses, and the availability of energy resources will facilitate the appropriate siting of energy facilities. Additional information about CMSP and the Ocean Policy Task Force’s Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning framework will be available soon on OCRM’s Ocean and Great Lakes Resources page.

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Coastal Impact Assistance Program

Congress authorized the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) in fiscal year 2001 to assist states in mitigating the impacts from outer continental shelf oil and gas development and production. Congress appropriated $150 million in 2001 to seven coastal states—Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas—and "coastal political subdivisions" within those states, to implement this program. The CIAP funded more than 600 projects for data collection, planning and mapping, coastal management, habitat protection and restoration, land acquisition (including wetlands), public access improvements, erosion control and water quality improvement, sewage treatment and stormwater management, and onshore infrastructure enhancements. Congress reauthorized the program for 2007-2010. The new CIAP is administered by the U.S. Minerals Management Service.

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