Salazar Dividing Energy Agency Into 3 Parts

[NYC_SKP]

Salazar dividing energy agency into 3 parts, instead of 2

By MATTHEW DALY
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The Obama administration is proposing to split up an Interior Department agency that oversees offshore drilling into three parts.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the change Wednesday, a week after he proposed splitting the Minerals Management Service in two.

The original plan would have created one entity charged with inspecting oil rigs, investigating oil companies and enforcing safety regulations, and another to oversee leases for drilling and collection of billions of dollars in royalties.

The new plan would keep those two bureaus and add a third to oversee development of offshore drilling.

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

Rumor has it these three parts will be:

the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue as follows:

· 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.

:patriot:

[NJmaverick]

1. This seems like a sensible way to approach the issue

by breaking up these three areas, you prevent any sort of conflict of interest where the desire to generate revenue doesn't generate undue influence on the safety people and finally the people over seeing the over arching plan are free to look at the big picture.

[SoCalDem]

3. Yes it does..except for the part where a republican president

packs those agencies with people who are against them..

Democrats will probably try to have advocates in key places..people who will look after the best interests of people and of safety...

but the next time a republican ends up in the WH, their first action will probably be to remove the scientists & replace them with industry lobbyists:(

[NYC_SKP]

2. 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:

[PufPuf23]

4. Add in a new Secretary of the Interior too

From the moment of their appointments, I have thought Salazar and Vilsack (USDA) nightmares waiting to happen.

The captain goes down with the ship, his powder gets wet or in this case oily.

[NYC_SKP]

5. No guarantee that his replacement would be an improvement.

That's the catch.

[PufPuf23]

6. The appointment of John Beuter at USDA Forest Service

by Bush I during the Northern Spotted Owl crisis.

John testified for the State of Oregon in NOS hearings under Reagan and then was placed in the job by Bush I.

"From January 1991 to January 1993, Beuter served in the administration of President George H.W. Bush as Deputy and Acting Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and the Environment. In this position, he oversaw both the Forest Service and the Soil Conservation Service. He represented the USDA on key policy issues, most notably on the recovery team for the northern spotted owl. He also served as a liaison to the White House, Congress, and interest groups on forestry issues."

http://www.cof.orst.edu/100faces/bios/beuter.php

[NYC_SKP]

7. 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: