Next Steps for Offshore Regulation Overhaul Announced

Secretary Salazar and BOEMRE Director Bromwich recently announced the structures and responsibilities for two new, independent agencies that will carry out the offshore energy management and enforcement functions that were once assigned to the former Minerals Management Service (MMS). This announcement follows after the agency—now BOEMRE—was re-organized into three separate entities, with the first of those identified last fall in the creation of the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, which handles BOEMRE's revenue collection.

As for these two new agencies, Salazar and Bromwichset forth tasks for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). BOEM will handle the resource development and energy management functions of BOEMRE. It will be responsible for managing development of the nation's offshore resources, including: leasing, plan administration, environmental studies, National Environmental Policy Act