Branch of Environmental Assessment (BEA)

National Environmental Policy Act – Organization and Responsibility

BOEMRE Regions: BOEMRE staff prepare most National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) energy proposals.  On occasion, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies are involved in preparing certain Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) sections.  Regional staff prepare lease sale EISs in their entirety and contribute substantially to program EISs.   Preparing Environmental Assessments and Categorical Exclusion Reviews is also a regional responsibility.  To prepare NEPA documents, the three BOEMRE regional offices have staff with expertise in most or all of the following disciplines:

             Air Quality                            Water Quality                                   Biology                    

             Sociology                             Archaeology                                    Economics               

            Geology                                 Physical Oceanography                  Engineering             

BOEMRE Headquarters: The Environmental Division (ENVD) has the primary responsibility for general BOEMRE environmental oversight and NEPA compliance activities at headquarters.  Within ENVD, the BEA  prepares the 5-Year Leasing Program EIS with assistance from the Regions.  The BEA provides procedures for EIS preparation, coordinates the Departmental review of lease sale EISs, and reviews the EISs for technical adequacy.   The BEA develops NEPA procedures and oversees NEPA compliance for approvals of lease operations and for development of operating regulations.