ABSTRACT

Concerns regarding the environmental effects of offshore oil and gas development typically focus on pollutants, either resulting from an oil spill or routine discharges from drilling or production. Frequently overlooked, but potentially much longer lasting, are effects resulting from the physical destruction or alteration of marine or coastal habitats to accommodate exploration, development, production or transportation. In this context, it is significant to note that in Louisiana, the most heavily developed offshore petroleum region in the

world, physical alterations of coastal environments are generally perceived by fishermen, environmentalists and public officials to have greater negative effects than oil spills and discharges.