MMS grants Alaska $700,000 to test fish
The U.S. Minerals Management Service has awarded a $700,000 grant to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for a project to test fish throughout the state for contaminants such as heavy metals and pesticides.
The grant was provided through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the program, which provides $250 million in grants annually to six eligible Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas producing states. The states are Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
The MMS, an agency within the Interior Department, regulates offshore oil and gas leasing and exploration.
“MMS is proud to partner with the State of Alaska in its conservation efforts,” said MMS Alaska Regional Director John Goll. “We are committed through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program to support our partners with important projects that will not only promote conservation, but protect the fish and wildlife that are dependent upon the land.”
—Wesley Loy
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