The US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have agreed a framework to coordinate the regulation of renewable energy activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
The memorandum of agreement (MOA) clarifies the bureaus’ roles and responsibilities and promotes the efficient use of resources to enhance US renewable energy production, particularly offshore wind.
BSEE director Scott Angelle said: “For several years BSEE has closely partnered with BOEM to ensure responsible development of renewable energy resources on the OCS.
“This MOA clarifies BSEE’s role in developing the safety and environmental compliance functions of the program that are critical to BOEM’s management of the program’s planning and development.”
The MOA follows a September 2020 Memorandum of Understanding between BSEE and BOEM that describes the general relationship between the bureaus.
This latest development is a further step towards initiating the rulemaking process that would officially transfer relevant safety and environmental compliance regulations from BOEM to BSEE.
BOEM acting director Dr Walter Cruickshank said: “Since 2009, BOEM has overseen the significant growth of renewable energy in the United States thanks to our strong partnerships with BSEE and other federal agencies, as well as state and local leadership.
“We appreciate the critical information provided by our key stakeholders, such as commercial fishers, to inform our decision-making processes, and we look forward to continuing these relationships as we work with BSEE to ensure the renewable energy industry incorporates safety and environmental compliance measures throughout the installation and operation of offshore facilities.”
BSEE and BOEM will continue to collaborate on revisions to regulatory processes that ensure safety and environmental compliance as America expands renewable energy production on the OCS.