Advance Notice of Proposed Rules: (none)

Notice of Proposed Rules (2011)

Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf—Revisions to Safety and Environmental Management Systems (94.99 KB) Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD73 Federal Register Cite: Vol. 76, No. 178, FR 56683 (09/14/2011) SUMMARY: This rulemaking proposes to amend BOEMRE regulations to require operators to develop and implement additional provisions in their Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) programs for oil, gas, and sulphur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). These revisions pertain to developing and implementing stop work authority and ultimate work authority, requiring employee participation in the development and implementation of SEMS programs, and establishing requirements for reporting unsafe working conditions. In addition, this proposed rule requires independent third parties to conduct audits of operators’ SEMS programs and establishes further requirements relating to conducting job safety analysis (JSA) for activities identified in an operator’s SEMS program. We believe that these new requirements will further reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and spills in connection with OCS activities that are regulated under BOEMRE jurisdiction, by requiring OCS operators to specifically address issues associated with human behavior as it applies to their SEMS program. Date: Submit comments on the proposed rule by November 14, 2011. Regulatory Impact Analysis (188.77 KB)

Renewable Energy Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf—Acquire a Lease Noncompetitively (65 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD71
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 76, No. 32, FR 8962 (02/16/2011)

Summary: BOEMRE proposes to revise the regulations that pertain to noncompetitive acquisition of an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy lease. We are taking this action because the current regulations governing the noncompetitive acquisition of an OCS renewable energy lease initiated by BOEMRE and a request for a noncompetitive OCS renewable energy lease initiated by an unsolicited request are inconsistent. This rulemaking will make the two processes consistent with each other by eliminating a duplicative and unnecessary step in the noncompetitive leasing process, while continuing to provide for adequate public notice and review of leasing proposals as required by law.

Date: Submit comments on the proposed rule by March 18, 2011.

Comments

Notices (2011)
 

Safety and Environmental Management Systems; Public Workshop (176 KB PDF)

Federal Register Cite: Vol. 76, No. 40, FR 11079 (03/01/2011)

Summary: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement is announcing a workshop to discuss the new regulatory requirements for operators to develop and implement Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) for oil and gas and sulphur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This workshop is designed to provide an overview and background of the final rule, review and summarize responses to frequently asked questions, receive and respond to new questions pertaining to implementation, and describe BOEMRE audit methodologies for compliance reviews.

Date: The workshop will be held on March 15, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Final Rules (2011)

Reorganization of Title 30: Bureaus of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Ocean Energy Management (2 MB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD79
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 76, No. 201, FR 64432

Summary: This rule contains regulations that will be under the authority of two newly formed Bureaus, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), both within the Department of the Interior. On May 19, 2010, the Secretary of the Interior announced the separation of the responsibilities performed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) (formerly the Minerals Management Service) into three new separate organizations: Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Those regulations that will apply to the authority of BSEE organization will remain in 30 CFR chapter II, but be retitled "Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement." This rule removes from chapter II those regulations that will apply to the authority of BOEM and recodifies them into a new 30 CFR chapter V entitled "Bureau of Ocean Energy Management."

Effective Date: This final rule is effective on October 1, 2011.

Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf – Civil Penalties (52 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD74
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 76, No.126, FR 38294 (06/30/2011)

Summary: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) requires the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) to review the maximum daily civil penalty assessment for violations of regulations implementing the OCSLA at least once every 3 years (43 U.S.C. 1350). Similarly, a review and adjustment process is required at least once every 4 years for the maximum daily civil penalty assessment allowable under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 for violations of regulations governing financial responsibility (28 U.S.C. 2461). These reviews ensure that the maximum penalty assessments reflect any increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, and therefore keep up with inflation. BOEMRE conducted these reviews in October 2010 for the OCSLA regulations and in January 2011 for the OPA regulations. BOEMRE determined that the maximum daily civil penalty assessment for violations of its OCSLA regulations should be increased to $40,000, and the maximum daily civil penalty assessment for violations of its financial responsibility regulations should be increased to $30,000.

Effective Date: This final rule is effective August 1, 2011.

Renewable Energy Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf—Acquire a Lease Noncompetitively (180.87 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD71
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 76, No. 94, FR 28178 (05/16/2011)

Summary: This final rule revises BOEMRE regulations that pertain to noncompetitive acquisition of an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy lease. We are taking this action because under the current regulations the process for acquiring a lease noncompetitively that is initiated by an unsolicited request is inconsistent with the process for acquiring a lease noncompetitively that is initiated by BOEMRE. By revising regulations which govern the lease acquisition process starting with submission of an unsolicited request, and regulations which govern the lease acquisition process starting with BOEMRE issuance of a Request for Interest (RFI) or a Call for Information and Nomination (Call), this rulemaking will make the two processes consistent with each other.

Effective Date: This final rule is effective June 15, 2011.