Department of Interior to consolidate BOEM and BSEE in new agency

In a statement, the Department of the Interior said this action is “intended to improve co-ordination and increase efficiencies across offshore leasing, permitting, inspections and environmental oversight, while maintaining all existing regulatory protections and rigorous safety standards.

“This streamlined approach reflects the evolution of offshore energy development and the need for a more integrated approach to managing conventional and emerging resources such as critical minerals,” said the Department of the Interior. “By aligning planning, leasing and oversight functions, the department is positioning the agency to better meet current and future energy demands.”

BOEM and the BSEE were established in 2011 to address failures identified in the investigation of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The agencies replaced the Minerals Management Service to separate what were perceived to be the conflicting roles of leasing offshore resources (BOEM) and enforcing safety and environmental regulations (BSEE). 

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said of the new plan, “President Trump has been laser-focused on making the government work efficiently and effectively for the American people. This is about building an agency that reflects where we are today and where we need to go.

“The Department is applying what we’ve learned over the past decade to deliver clearer co-ordination, better service to the public and stronger, more integrated oversight of offshore energy development.” 

The Department said the Marine Minerals Administration will align resource planning, leasing decisions and operational oversight under a unified structure, reducing duplication and improving decision-making across the full lifecycle of offshore development. All statutory authorities and protections will remain in place throughout the transition. 

Responding to the plan, National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito said, “Our industry supports an interior management and oversight system that efficiently expands access to marine resources, streamlines the permitting and approval process, implements a reasonable regulatory framework for safety and environmental protection, and ensures effective oversight functions.

“Two separate yet overlapping government agencies responsible for administering the same statute – the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act – can understandably result in inconsistencies and delays in the implementation of the regulatory process.

“Bringing them back together should result in closer co-ordination and a more efficiently functioning government, for the benefit of American citizens who rely upon the energy produced from the US outer continental shelf.”