30 C.F.R. § 580.30 : Mineral Resources — BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR — OFFSHORE — PROSPECTING FOR MINERALS OTHER THAN OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF — OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS PART —ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES — What activities will not require environmental analysis?

We anticipate that activities of the type listed below typically will not cause significant environmental impact and will normally be categorically excluded from additional environmental analysis. The types of activities include:

(a) Gravity and magnetometric observations and measurements;
(b) Bottom and subbottom acoustic profiling or imaging without the use of explosives;
(c) Hard minerals sampling of a limited nature such as shallow test drilling;
(d) Water and biotic sampling, if the sampling does not adversely affect shellfish beds, marine mammals, or an endangered species or if permitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service or another Federal agency;
(e) Meteorological observations and measurements, including the setting of instruments;
(f) Hydrographic and oceanographic observations and measurements, including the setting of instruments;
(g) Sampling by box core or grab sampler to determine seabed geological or geotechnical properties;
(h) Television and still photographic observation and measurements;
(i) Shipboard hard mineral assaying and analysis; and
(j) Placement of positioning systems, including bottom transponders and surface and subsurface buoys reported in Notices to Mariners.

30 C.F.R. § 580.30