By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - The Obama administration reversed course on Tuesday on a proposal to open the southeastern Atlantic coast to drilling as an oil price slump and strong opposition in coastal communities raised doubts about the plan. Besides market and environmental concerns, the U.S. Interior Department said it also based its decision … [Read more...]
US Interior Secretary To Step Down, Offshore Stakeholders Appear Happily Anxious
WASHINGTON, DC – After 4 challenging years managing the natural resources of the United States, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced his plans to leave the Department by the end of March. “I have had the privilege of reforming the Department of the Interior to help lead the United States in securing a new energy frontier, ushering in a conservation … [Read more...]
U.S. Announces First-Ever Offshore Wind Energy Lease Sales
The U.S. Department of The Interior today announced the nation's first-ever lease sales for renewable energy development in two wind energy areas (WEAs) on the Outer Continental Shelf, proposing nearly 278,000 acres of federal waters offshore Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia. “Wind energy along the Atlantic holds enormous potential, and today we are moving … [Read more...]
Obama Administration Announces Major Steps toward Leasing for Offshore Wind Projects in Mid-Atlantic
WASHINGTON — Echoing President Obama's State of the Union call for an “all of the above” energy strategy, the Department of the Interior today marked a major milestone for offshore wind energy along the Atlantic coast. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Tommy P. Beaudreau announced that the … [Read more...]
Rear Admiral James Watson to Head New BSEE, Bromwich Out
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The Obama administration has found a replacement for offshore drilling safety chief Michael Bromwich, a highly polarizing figure who revamped the government's offshore oil office in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Interior Department said Monday Rear Admiral James Watson of the U.S. Coast Guard will assume leadership of the … [Read more...]
A Hard Sell… US Interior Department Struggles To Recruit Offshore Drilling Safety Chief
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The Interior Department is struggling to recruit a top official for its offshore oil-drilling agency, in large part because qualified candidates don't want to deal with the political heat that accompanies the job, Interior officials said Friday. Efforts to recruit a director for the newly formed Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement follows … [Read more...]
US government proposes new workplace safety rules for offshore oil and gas industry
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Interior Department Tuesday proposed additional workplace safety requirements for offshore oil and gas drillers. The proposals would make further revisions to a workplace safety rule that is set to go into effect in November and come in addition to other rule changes the department has implemented since last year's massive oil spill in the … [Read more...]