Oil companies fund initiative to repeal California’s landmark climate law<\/a><\/p>\n Rand Paul’s Copenhagen rant and other election notes<\/a><\/p>\n Robert Redford and green groups tell Obama to step up on Gulf oil leak<\/a><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tby Agence France-Presse <\/p>\n
WASHINGTON—The U.S. agency that regulates offshore
\ndrilling was broken up into three separate agencies Wednesday as part of a move
\nto end cozy industry relationships exposed by the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster,
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The shake-up
\ncame a day after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told lawmakers the Minerals
\nManagement Service, which issued lucrative offshore exploration leases and was
\nalso responsible for enforcing safety rules, needed to be cleaned up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The MMS was
\nseverely criticized for being lax on safety after explosions sent a BP-leased
\noffshore oil rig to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, unleashing a catastrophic
\noil spill.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
President Barack
\nObama ordered “top to bottom” reform of the agency after it was
\naccused of allowing BP and other oil companies to drill in the Gulf without
\nfirst obtaining required permits.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Salazar broke
\nMMS into three separate agencies, each independent of the other and handling
\none of the three missions once handled by the agency.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The first of the
\nthree new agencies, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, will be responsible
\nfor developing offshore energy resources, both renewable and conventional, and
\nwill be in charge of leasing activities.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The new Bureau
\nof Safety and Environmental Enforcement will be responsible for safety and
\nenvironmental protection in offshore energy activities, and will have the
\nauthority to levy penalties on violators.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The third new
\nagency, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, will collect and distribute
\nrevenues generated by activities including oil and gas exploration, coal
\nmining, and renewable energy resources.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Oil companies fund initiative to repeal California’s landmark climate law<\/a><\/p>\n Rand Paul’s Copenhagen rant and other election notes<\/a><\/p>\n Robert Redford and green groups tell Obama to step up on Gulf oil leak<\/a><\/p>\n
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