Associate Director (Acting) Offshore Energy & Minerals Management

Robert P. LaBelle

Since the retirement of Chris Oynes on May 31, 2010, Deputy Associate Director for Offshore Energy and Minerals Management Robert LaBelle has acted in that position. Bob oversees management of all facets of the U.S. Offshore Energy Program, including policy development and program planning. As mandated in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, in addition to oil and gas, this now includes authority for development and regulation of offshore wind, wave, and marine current energy in all U.S. Federal waters.

He has received both the Citation for Distinguished Service (2008) and the Citation for Meritorious Service (1996) from the Department of the Interior in recognition of his scientific and management accomplishments. Previously, as Chief of the BOEMRE Environmental Division, Mr. LaBelle was responsible for offshore oil and gas industry compliance with all environmental requirements, including water and air quality, seafloor impacts, endangered species, oil spill risk analysis, and cultural resources. He has managed large environmental and technology research programs and overseen the preparation of numerous Environmental Impact Statements and other decision documents used for US offshore energy permitting.

In prior positions, Mr. LaBelle was Chief of the BOEMRE Technology Assessment and Research Branch, where he led research on safety, engineering and technical aspects of offshore production and development. Prior to joining Interior, Mr. LaBelle worked for Martin Marietta Corp on the sitting of electrical power plants and on assessing their effects on aquatic species. Mr. LaBelle is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (BS), the University of Maryland (MS), and Loyola College, MD (MBA).