The Environmental Review Stage: Conducting Strong Environmental Reviews of Proposed Lease Sales and Drilling Projects Based on Sound Science  Out: Director Bromwich has ordered a full review of the agency’s use of ‘categorical exclusions’ under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and has limited their use in proposed deepwater drilling projects.  In: BOEM, with the collaboration of federal agencies like the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is conducting comprehensive new environmental analyses of the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic to help inform future leasing and development decisions.  In: Proposed lease sales and drilling projects must undergo thorough environmental reviews in accordance with NEPA.
The Permitting Stage: Raising the Bar for Safety and Environmental Protections in Proposed Drilling Projects  Out: Interior closed the loophole, established in 2003, that exempted operators in the Gulf of Mexico from submitting plans for worst-case discharge scenarios.  Out: The Administration has submitted legislation to remove the requirement that hamstrings BOEM by requiring review and approval of exploration plans within 30-days.  In: Permit applications for drilling projects must meet new standards for well-design, casing, and cementing, which must be independently certified by a professional engineer.  In: Proposed exploration plans must meet new requirements to show the operator is prepared to deal with a potential blowout and the potential worst-case discharge scenario and the operator’s ability to respond to such a discharge.
Drilling and Production Stages: Strengthening Standards for Equipment, Safety Practices, Environmental Safeguards, and Oversight of Offshore Drilling and Production  Out: Over the last three decades, safety equipment and regulatory requirements fell behind the technology that allowed companies to reach new oil and gas reserves in deeper waters.  In: Operators must adhere to the new Drilling Safety Rule, implemented through emergency rulemaking, that raises the standards for blowout preventers, well design, casing, cementing, and safety equipment. Blowout preventers must also meet new standards for testing and must be independently certified.  In: Under the new Workplace Safety Rule, operators will be required to develop a comprehensive management program for identifying, addressing and managing operational safety and environmental hazards and impacts, with the goal of reducing the risk of human error and improving workplace safety and environmental protection.  In: The CEOs of drilling companies must – for the first time ever – put their signature on the line to certify that their rigs comply with all safety and environmental laws and regulations.
Ending the Deepwater Drilling Moratorium
The Permitting Stage: Raising the Bar for Safety and Environmental Protections in Proposed Drilling Projects  Out: Interior closed the loophole, established in 2003, that exempted operators in the Gulf of Mexico from submitting plans for worst-case discharge scenarios.  Out: The Administration has submitted legislation to remove the requirement that hamstrings BOEM by requiring review and approval of exploration plans within 30-days.  In: Permit applications for drilling projects must meet new standards for well-design, casing, and cementing, which must be independently certified by a professional engineer.  In: Proposed exploration plans must meet new requirements to show the operator is prepared to deal with a potential blowout and the potential worst-case discharge scenario and the operator’s ability to respond to such a discharge.
Drilling and Production Stages: Strengthening Standards for Equipment, Safety Practices, Environmental Safeguards, and Oversight of Offshore Drilling and Production  Out: Over the last three decades, safety equipment and regulatory requirements fell behind the technology that allowed companies to reach new oil and gas reserves in deeper waters.  In: Operators must adhere to the new Drilling Safety Rule, implemented through emergency rulemaking, that raises the standards for blowout preventers, well design, casing, cementing, and safety equipment. Blowout preventers must also meet new standards for testing and must be independently certified.  In: Under the new Workplace Safety Rule, operators will be required to develop a comprehensive management program for identifying, addressing and managing operational safety and environmental hazards and impacts, with the goal of reducing the risk of human error and improving workplace safety and environmental protection.  In: The CEOs of drilling companies must – for the first time ever – put their signature on the line to certify that their rigs comply with all safety and environmental laws and regulations.
Ending the Deepwater Drilling Moratorium
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