New BSEE director urges change of focus

Scott Angelle, the new director of the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, urged more focus on economic opportunities in a May 31 town hall meeting with employees in Sterling, Virginia.

“The vision I would share with you is that I don’t believe we are an either/or agency. Rather than have a high focus on safety and the environment, and a low focus on energy production, or vice versa, my goal is to raise the status of all three,” Angelle was quoted as saying in a June 2 BSEE release.

“Not to go backwards on safety, but at the same time to go forward on economic opportunities. That’s some of the culture of change I hope to be bringing in,” Angelle said.

He said he intended to build on what has been developed at the agency, “and not ever take a step back, but to simultaneously understand that the economic development part of the Outer Continental Shelf activities is important. It’s important to America, it’s important to jobs, it’s important to families,” he said.

Angelle told agency employees that he comes from a generation of Americans “that believes that clean water and green grass and fresh air are not a luxury, and equally important are economic development and job opportunities” and challenged agency staff to contribute ideas to help improve the agency and encouraged them to embrace change.

The statement said Angelle will be traveling to the Gulf Coast, California and Alaska in the coming weeks to meet with staff and stakeholders.

- Petroleum News