U.S. agency let oil industry write offshore drilling rules

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy

U.S. agency let oil industry write offshore drilling rules


* Posted on Monday, May 10, 2010

By Les Blumenthal and Erika Bolstad | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — The oil industry, not the federal agency that regulates it, plays a crucial role in writing the safety and environmental rules for offshore drilling, a role that critics say reflects cozy ties between an industry and its regulators that need to be snapped.

Nearly 100 industry standards set by the American Petroleum Industry are included in the nation's offshore operating regulations. The API asserts that its standards are better for the industry's bottom line and make it easier to operate offshore than if the Minerals Management Service set the rules.

..................

The agency has a built-in conflict. It's responsible for regulating offshore drilling, but also for leasing tracts on the outer continental shelf and collecting royalties on the oil and gas they produce. The MMS generates more revenue for the federal Treasury than any other agency except the Internal Revenue Service.

So while one arm of the agency is trying to make money, the other tries to regulate an industry where pumping oil sometimes trumps safety and environmental concerns.







Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/10/93859/us-agency-lets-oil-industry-write.html#ixzz0nZojYJn5

[Tx4obama]

1. When were the current rules written? Under Bush? n/t

[JDPriestly]

6. Long ago if what I have found is all there is. I think the EPA may have additional regs.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 requires offshore drilling operations to submit an environmental management plan. The Clean Air Act (1970) requires offshore drilling operations to submit data on pollutant emissions into the air. The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 gives U.S. states the right to oppose offshore drilling activities. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 imposes strict regulations on offshore drilling operations near marine environments containing endangered species. The Clean Water Act of 1977 mandates offshore drilling operations acquire a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit before discharging pollutants into waterways.
. . . . .
The Outer Continental Shelf Deepwater Royalty Relief Act (DWRRA) of 1995 was designed to encourage offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico by providing royalty relief on oil and natural gas sales from this region. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international treaty governing offshore drilling activities. In 2002, the treaty was accepted by 138 countries including the United States. The treaty addresses environmental concerns tied to offshore drilling activities. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 encourages offshore exploration (even on lands under moratorium as long as drilling does not occur) by implementing several funding measures aimed at increasing offshore oil and gas production. In 2010, the Senate passed HB 3613, a ban on offshore drilling in Oregon's coastal waters which is not set to expire until 2020.
. . . .

http://www.ehow.com/list_6319274_offshore-drilling-regulations.html

Have a laugh (a bitter one).

. . . .

Environmental Impacts. This option is analyzed in the draft EIS under
Alternative 1. The probability of an oil spill of 1,000 barrels or more in this
area under this alternative would be 62-85 percent. A summary of the EIS
findings follows.

Water Quality—Structure placement produces turbidity that can temporarily
degrade affected waters; normal background concentrations of
suspended solids will return when activity ceases. Confined portions of
some channels may be unable to assimilate bilge water and sanitary wastes,
thus resulting in some minor regional degradation. Compliance with U.S.
Coast Guard regulations would assist in avoiding most impacts to such
receiving waters. Overall marine water quality impacts from routine
activities would be minor as compliance with NPDES permit requirements
minimizes or avoids most impacts. Oil-spill impacts to water quality could
range from minor to moderate depending on dispersion and weathering.

. . . .

OCS Oil & Gas Leasing Program 2002-2007

Here is the current OCS Oil & Gas Leasing Program for 2007-2012:

http://www.mms.gov/5-year/PDFs/MMSProposedFinalProgram2007-2012.pdf

Similarly vague. The EPA and/or Coast Guard may have more stringent regulations. I may not be finding the right documents.

[paparush]

2. You mean, like the coal companies and the banking/finance companies?

I see a trend here.

[defendandprotect]

3. k -- and isn't that what oil industry money bought?

[ShamelessHussy]

4. OMG

[AllyCat]

5. We obviously need less regulation of the oil business then..

...and more "federal oversight". Maybe we just aren't framing this right to the teabaggers.

[Lagomorph]

7. What we need is a trail of accountability....

The law should leave no doubt about exactly who is responsible at every step of the drilling process.

With a $75 million cap on liability, the oil companies had little motive to ensure a solution was available. It wouldn't even impact their bottom line during the current quarter.

Unfortunately, Obama wasn't familiar enough with "standard industry practices" to make his liability demands stick. Anything he does will have to go to court. The tougher the legislation, the more it will impact the level of revenues the government takes from the oil operations.

[Doctor_J]

9. What we need are some execs sent to federal Michael Bolton prison

or on the receiving end of some frontier justice.

[Doctor_J]

8. NOw there's a shock

:eyes:

[deacon_sephiroth]

10. No surprise there

Until we stop letting candidates and campaigns take money from people and organizations like these, everything is for sale, laws, votes, candidates, and as long as everything is for sale, the wealthiest will always win, they are the only ones that can afford to.

[truthisfreedom]

11. There's a solution to this. OBVIATE THE OIL COMPANIES BY ADOPTING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.

That's the real solution. Obviate the need for any fossil fuel. Coal kills too.