Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

Abstract

Following the Deepwater Horizon incident (April 2010) the agency in charge of offshore safety – the Minerals Management Service (MMS) – was reorganized and renamed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE). In October 2011 BOEMRE was itself replaced by two bureaus: the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).

Introduction

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE, generally pronounced “Bessie”) is responsible for ensuring the comprehensive oversight, safety, and environmental protection in all offshore energy activities on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States. It has the authority to inspect, investigate, summon witnesses and produce evidence, levy penalties, cancel or suspend activities, and oversee safety, response, and removal preparedness.

From MMS to BOEMRE to BSEE

BSEE was created from BOEMRE, which in turn was formed from MMS. All are part of the Department of the Interior. These transitions are discussed below.

Minerals Management Service

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) was created in the year 1988. It had two key roles. The first was to collect the (very substantial) revenue from leases for the United States government. The second role was to ensure that offshore operations were conducted safely. These two roles can appear to conflict with one another; this potential for conflict lies behind the creation of the two separate agencies: BSEE and BOEM.

BOEMRE

Prior to the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe (April 2010) an independent report had already criticized the MMS with respect to highly improper behavior by some of its employees (in non safety-related activities). Therefore, following that event,the MMS was reorganized and renamed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) headed by Director Michael Bromwich. It was made clear from the beginning that this agency would be split into the BSEE and BOEM.

Other regulatory changes that took place at the same time included:

• Creation of a first-ever Chief Environmental Officer;
• Development of a new Environmental Compliance and enforcement function; and
• More prominent Oil Spill Response Plan review and enforcement in BSEE.

The organization chart shows how BOEMRE (and its successors) fit into the structure of the Department of Interior (DOI).

BOEMRE was split into BSEE and BOEM October 1st 2011.

BSEE

As noted above, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) handles safety and environmental enforcement functions. The Director, effective November 2011, is Rear Admiral James A. Watson (replacing Michael Bromwich).

Associated with the BSEE is a permanent advisory body — the Offshore Energy Safety Advisory Committee (Safety Committee) — through which the nation’s leading scientific, engineering, and technical experts will provide input on improving offshore drilling safety, well containment, and spill response.

BSEE has oversight over the development and implementation of the Safety, Environmental and Management System (SEMS) rule that came into force November 15th 2011.

BOEM
 

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for managing development of the nation’s offshore resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way.