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Salazar names heads of BSEE, BOEM agencies
Petroleum News
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has named heads for two of the agencies replacing the former Minerals Management Service.
Current Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement Director Michael Bromwich has been named to lead the newly formed Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Tommy Beaudreau, currently senior adviser to BOEMRE, has been named to head the newly formed Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
The former Minerals Management Service was split into separate entities in May 2010, each with separate missions, and MMS was renamed BOEMRE in June 2010.
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue, which is responsible for management of revenues associated with federal offshore and federal and American Indian onshore mineral leases, was separated last year and operates under the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget.
BSEE will be responsible for inspections, enforcement and safety of offshore oil and gas operations. Its functions will include development and enforcement of safety and environmental regulations, research, inspections, offshore regulatory programs, oil spill response and newly formed training and environmental compliance programs.
Bromwich will serve as BSEE director until a permanent director is selected. Interior said it has launched an aggressive, nationwide recruitment effort to find a permanent director.
Beaudreau heads BOEM Beaudreau will be permanent BOEM director.
Salazar said in a statement that “Tommy Beaudreau has been an engine behind the many changes BOEMRE has made to raise the bar for safety and environmental protection in energy operations — he will be a strong, tireless, and effective leader for BOEM.”
Prior to joining BOEMRE, Beaudreau was a partner at the law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.
BOEM will be responsible for energy leasing and planning on the outer continental shelf; its programs include offshore leasing, resource evaluation, review and administration of oil and gas exploration and development plans, renewable energy development, National Environmental Policy Act analysis and environmental studies.
“The nation’s offshore energy resources, both conventional and renewable, are essential to our country’s economy and security,” Beaudreau said in a statement. “The new BOEM will be focused on ensuring that our offshore resources are developed sensibly and responsibly.”
In a statement on the appointment U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, noted that Beaudreau is a former Alaskan.
“Certainly it helps having an Alaskan in this important position. Having grown up here, Mr. Beaudreau has an appreciation for the vast distances, the people and how important resource development is to our state.”
Beaudreau is a graduate of Anchorage’s Service High School.
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