DOI Plans to Merge BSEE, BOEM

In a statement posted on its website recently, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the start of a phased plan to establish the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA).

The new MMA will bring together the functions of the DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), the DOI revealed in the statement.

“This action is intended to improve coordination and increase efficiencies across offshore leasing, permitting, inspections and environmental oversight, while maintaining all existing regulatory protections and rigorous safety standards,” the DOI said.

“This streamlined approach reflects the evolution of offshore energy development and the need for a more integrated approach to managing conventional and emerging resources such as critical minerals,” it added.

“By aligning planning, leasing and oversight functions, the Department is positioning the agency to better meet current and future energy demands,” it continued.

The DOI noted in the statement that the establishment of the MMA “marks a strategic step toward a more modern, coordinated approach to offshore resource management”.

“The agency will better align resource planning, leasing decisions and operational oversight under a unified structure, reducing duplication and improving decision-making across the full lifecycle of offshore development,” according to the DOI.

In the statement, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said, “President Trump has been laser focused on making the government work efficiently and effectively for the American people”.

“This is about building an agency that reflects where we are today and where we need to go,” he added.

“The Department is applying what we’ve learned over the past decade to deliver clearer coordination, better service to the public and stronger, more integrated oversight of offshore energy development,” he continued.

The DOI said in the statement that all statutory authorities and protections will remain in place throughout the transition. A page on the DOI website dedicated to the MMA transition outlined that there will be no disruption to permitting, environmental reviews, or enforcement activities during the transition process.

This page highlighted the phased nature of the transition, noting that “internal alignment activities begin soon”. It also stated that there will be “no regulatory rollbacks”, adding that “existing requirements remain in full effect”.

The page revealed that a new website and branding will also be launched “in the coming months”.

In a statement sent to Rigzone commenting on the DOI’s plan to launch the MMA, National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito said, “our industry supports an Interior management and oversight system that efficiently expands access to marine resources, streamlines the permitting and approval process, implements a reasonable regulatory framework for safety and environmental protection, and ensures effective oversight functions”. 

“Two separate, yet overlapping, government agencies responsible for administering the same statute - the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act - can understandably result in inconsistencies and delays in the implementation of the regulatory process,” he added.

“Bringing them back together should result in closer coordination and a more efficiently functioning government, for the benefit of American citizens who rely upon the energy produced from the U.S. outer continental shelf to fuel our economy and lift society,” he continued.

In a separate statement posted on the DOI website last week, Burgum announced a strategic initiative “to improve resource management and the delivery of critical services nationwide”.

Highlights of this initiative include “aligning more National Park Service positions to visitor‑facing roles”, “strengthening support for tribal nations and tribal justice”, and “modernizing key processes such as permitting by eliminating redundant layers”, the DOI outlined in the statement, adding that the effort “also sharpens focus on core water and power missions, accelerates the delivery of high‑quality science, and advances responsible land and wildlife management across the country”.

“At the same time, Interior is reducing administrative burdens and improving internal operations to ensure team members have the tools and support needed to provide fast, reliable service to the public, our partners and stakeholders,” it said.

As part of the initiative, the DOI revealed it will be offering a Deferred Resignation Program and an opportunity for Voluntary Early Retirement.

“The initiative aims to strengthen Interior’s mission of stewardship and service, optimizing operations, streamlining outdated bureaucracy and ensuring meaningful economic benefits for taxpayers and communities across the country,” the DOI noted in the statement.

“This modernization effort supports President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to strengthening federal performance and delivering clear value for our citizens,” it added.

“By evaluating core functions and improving coordination across Interior’s 13 bureaus and offices that are charged with managing the vast natural and cultural resources of the nation, the Department will accelerate decision‑making and enhance accountability,” it continued.

In this statement, Burgum said, “effective stewardship requires disciplined management of the resources entrusted to us”.

“By modernizing our operations we’re strengthening our ability to carry out Interior’s mission and deliver world-class service for the American people,” he added.

In a statement posted on its website, the Sierra Club criticized the DOI’s initiative.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com