Salazar Dividing Energy Agency Into 3 Parts, Great News IMHO.

[NYC_SKP]

I'm especially happy with the second of these, which, we hope, will ensure an end to the conflict of interest that seems to exist in the department now.

· Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: A new bureau under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management that will be responsible for the sustainable development of the Outer Continental Shelf’s conventional and renewable energy resources, including resource evaluation, planning, and other activities related to leasing.

· Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement: A new bureau under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management that will be responsible for ensuring comprehensive oversight, safety, and environmental protection in all offshore energy activities.

· Office of Natural Resources Revenue: A new office under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget, that will be responsible for the royalty and revenue management function including the collection and distribution of revenue, auditing and compliance, and asset management.

Salazar splinters troubled MMS into three parts

...The restructuring will result in three separate agencies.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will be tasked with the “sustainable development” of offshore energy, including oil-and-gas and renewable sources.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will be responsible for “ensuring comprehensive oversight, safety, and environmental protection in all offshore energy activities,” Interior said. Salazar, in a press conference Wednesday, said this agency would be the “police” of offshore oil-and-gas operations.

Finally, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue will responsible for royalty collections, auditing and related tasks.

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/98723-salazar-splinters-troubled-mms-into-three-parts

See also:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10690931

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-19/obama-forms-three-offices-to-replace-offshore-agency-update1-.html

:patriot:

[Cha]

1. This is PROGRESS!

THanks SKP:fistbump:

[Raine1967]

2. Excellent I was happy when I heard it would be split in 2

But this is so much better--

I love that they realize that this MMS has been seriously broken and are willing to make smaller agencies to make things right. This makes a hellova lot of sense.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Reported now on USA Today:

:applause:

Obama team splits offshore oil agency into three parts

"The Minerals Management Service has three distinct and conflicting missions that -- for the benefit of effective enforcement, energy development, and revenue collection -- must be divided," Salazar said in a statement.

Here's the breakdown, from the White House:

-- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: A new bureau under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management will be responsible for the sustainable development of the Outer Continental Shelf's conventional and renewable energy resources, including resource evaluation, planning, and other activities related to leasing.

--Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement: A bureau under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management that will be responsible for ensuring comprehensive oversight, safety, and environmental protection in all offshore energy activities.

-- Office of Natural Resources Revenue: An office under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget that will be responsible for the royalty and revenue management function including the collection and distribution of revenue, auditing and compliance, and asset management.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/05/obama-team-splits-offshore-oil-agency-into-three-parts/1

:patriot:

[NYC_SKP]

4. Update #5: "These three... ...are conflicting missions and must be separated". (Salazar)

By Jim Efstathiou Jr.
May 19 (Bloomberg) --

The Obama administration replaced the Minerals Management Service, faulted for lax regulation of offshore drilling before the BP Plc spill last month, with three offices to oversee leases, drilling safety and fee collection.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signed an order today creating the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue. Lawmakers said the MMS failed to impose tougher safety standards on drillers and more effective plans to respond to oil spills.

President Barack Obama said on May 15 that he would end the “cozy relationship” between companies that drill for oil and gas and the Minerals Management Service, part of the Interior Department. The agency’s track record has been scrutinized since the BP well blew up on April 20, killing 11 workers and creating an oil spill that continues to spread toward Gulf Coast states from Louisiana to Florida.

“These three missions -- energy development, enforcement and revenue collection -- are conflicting missions and must be separated,” Salazar said in a news conference. “So today I’m ordering the division of MMS into three distinct entities.”

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-19/obama-replaces-offshore-agency-faulted-in-bp-spill-update5-.html

:patriot: