Outer Continental Shelf

The outer continental shelf is a jurisdictional term used to describe those submerged lands that lie seaward of state water boundaries. The federal government manages natural resources on the outer continental shelf, while the states manage the resources directly off their coasts. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as amended, is the principal federal law governing mineral activities in federal waters. It was written to guide decisions concerning the exploration for the development of oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf...more