This Program Announcement provides the vehicle for Louisiana State University (LSU) to submit a proposal with matching funds to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for consideration for funding in Fiscal Year 201 4. This announcement identifies a specific proposal for administrative tasks

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associated with management of the Louisiana Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) program.The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) of the BOEM is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity to Louisiana State University (LSU) to manage the CMI program that conducts research in topics that serve the public interest of safe and environmentally sound energy production and meet the goals of the BOEM.

Section 1346 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) mandates the conduct of environmental and socioeconomic studies needed for the assessment and management of environmental impacts on the human, marine, and coastal environments which may be affected by oil and gas, renewable energy, or other mineral development.

OCSLA Section 1345 authorizes the use of cooperative agreements with affected States to meet the requirements of OCSLA, including sharing of information, joint utilization of available expertise, formation of joint monitoring arrangements to carry out applicable Federal and State laws, regulations, and stipulations relevant to outer continental shelf operations both onshore and offshore.

The CMI at LSU was established in 1992 to use highly qualified scientific expertise in the Gulf of Mexico region to collect and disseminate environmental information needed for OCS oil and gas, renewable energy, and marine minerals decisions; address local and regional OCS-related environmental and resource issues of mutual interest; and strengthen the BOEM-State partnership in addressing OCS oil and gas, renewable energy, and marine ecosystem information needs.Results of these studies may be cited in Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments of 5-year leasing plans, offshore leases, exploration plans, and NEPA documents in the Gulf of Mexico