Defense operations on the outer continental shelf

Summary form only given, as follows. The US Department of Defense (DoD), principally the US Navy, is a heavy user of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for, among other things, weapons testing and practice, fleet operations, fleet exercises and other training. DoD needs in the OCS environroent range from total exclusion for live missile and gun firing, bombing and strafing to time-sharing for fleet operations, exercise, and training. DoD uses can be oompatible with oil, gas and mineral exploration and production in most areas, even if it requires military relocations onshore as weil as offshore. Phased lease offerings that allow time to develop and accomplish any necessary relocations are of course necessary. The developroent of innovative exploration and production methods are no less important and must be acoorded equal consideration. All these options are costly and technically difficult to achieve. But there can be oompatibility if DoD, MMS and industry are forthcoming in their efforts to meet the other´s objectives.