As part of its measures to advance responsible offshore energy development, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has published the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Gulf of America Regional OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales and Post-Lease Activities.
It comes with a solid environmental review framework with a robust and transparent environmental evaluations for future exploration, development, and decommissioning activities in the Gulf. This development has also been supported by bodies such as the United States Government Accountability Office, which had expressed the need for clearly defined timelines, when it comes to decommissioning.
It had pushed for better enforcement of decommissioning deadlines in a safe manner on BOEM's part, ensuring thorough execution of the actions planned. GAO's proposals came on the basis of extensive reviewing of laws, regulations, implementing guidance, policies, procedures, budget justifications, and other documentation related to the bureau's decommissioning deadlines.
It had pointed out the urgency of addressing long-standing issues such as effectiveness of enforcement tools, deadlines delivery, supplemental bonding levels and operational standards.
On the status of bonding coverage for decommissioning liabilities, GAO proposed on adopting a reporting mechanism or additional direction laying out how BOEM can balance the priorities set by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, including safety, environmental protection, development of resources, conservation of resources. This will help to promptly address the risks pertaining to decommissioning liabilities, enabling timely decisions on future mitigation measures.
