Interagency Collaboration
BSEE's responsibilities for the regulation of offshore energy development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) often overlap with the responsibilities and regulations of other federal agencies. The Bureau works closely with our partners to ensure we approach this shared regulatory space in an efficient and consistent manner. The Bureau also leverages its limited resources through agreements with federal partners and other agencies through memoranda of understanding or agreement (MOU, MOA) and interagency agreements (IAA).
Additional information is available at interagency@bsee.gov.
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) |
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BSEE and the USCG have closely aligned jurisdictional and regulatory responsibilities related to offshore energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf. From offshore inspections to incident response and investigations, the two organizations collaborate extensively to reduce redundancy and ensure consistency and clarity for the regulated community. The two organizations work closely together under an overarching Memorandum of Understanding and several memoranda of agreement related to specific issues that touch on the organizations' shared regulatory space. | |
| 2018 | BSEE/USCG | Joint Activity Summary |
| 2017 | BSEE/USCG | Joint Activity Summary |
| 2017 | BSEE/USCG | BSEE and USCG Memo Index |
| 2017 | BSEE/USCG | Civil Penalties (MOA OCS-02) |
| 2017 | BSEE/USCG | MOA regarding Oil Discharge Planning, Preparedness, and Response (MOA OCS-03) |
| 2017 | BSEE/USCG | Incident Notifications and Investigations (MOA OCS-05) |
| 2017 | BSEE/USCG | MOA regarding Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) and Safety Management Systems (SMS) (MOA OCS-07) |
| 2016 | BSEE/USCG | Floating Offshore Facilities (MOA OCS-04) |
| 2014 | BSEE/USCG | Fixed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Facilities (MOA OCS-09) |
| 2013 | BSEE/USCG | MOA concerning Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) (MOA OCS-08) |
| 2012 | BSEE/USCG | MOU regarding Building a Partnership to Improve Safety and Environmental Protection |
| 2011 | BOEMRE/USCG | MOA regarding Offshore Renewable Energy Installations on the Outer Continental Shelf (MOA OCS-06) |
| 2004 | MMS/USCG | Agency Responsibilities (cancelled and replaced by Index Document) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) |
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BSEE and DOE work very closely together in the areas of spill prevention research, risk modeling, renewable energy initiatives, and technology research. BSEE leverages its resources through interagency agreements with two national labs and pursues other areas of common interest to both organizations through a formal Memorandum of Collaboration. | |
| 2013 | BSEE/DOE | Memorandum of Collaboration |
| 1999 | MMS/DOE | MOU regarding The Implementation of and Participation in Technology Commercialization to Benefit Production in the Ultra Deepwater Gulf of Mexico |
U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) |
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Oil, natural gas, and related liquids produced on the Outer Continental Shelf are transported to shore primarily through the use of pipelines regulated by PHMSA. BSEE collaborates with PHMSA in the areas of pipeline safety, spill prevention and response and pipeline rights of way. | |
| 1996 | MMS/DOT | MOU regarding Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)Pipelines |
Bureau of Transportation Statistics |
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BSEE entered into an Interagency Agreement with the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics to develop and manage a voluntary and confidential “Near Miss” reporting tool for individuals working in the offshore oil and gas industry. To read more about Near Miss reporting, Link to news Release |
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| 2016 | BSEE/(DOT) BTS | MOU Between BSEE and BTS for Reporting and Analysis of Safety and Pollution Prevention Equipment Failures |
| 2014 | BSEE/(DOT) BTS | Interagency Agreement (IAA) regarding Development and Operation of a Confidential Near Miss Reporting System |
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
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BSEE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work cooperatively to protect the environment using different statutory authorities. BSEE coordinates with the EPA on compliance and enforcement matters related to energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). BSEE and EPA have regional memorandums of agreement in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico OCS regions to coordinate compliance with EPA NPDES permits, including facility inspections and enforcement of permit violations. | |
| 1994 | MMS/EPA | FR Notice of an MOU among DOI/DOT/EPA on Jurisdictional Responsibilities for offshore facilities, including pipelines |
| 1989 | MMS/EPA | MOA between EPA Region 6 regarding Coordinating National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Compliance with MMS Offshore Inspection Program Gulf of Mexico Region |
| 1989 | MMS/EPA | MOA between EPA Region 9 regarding Coordinating National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Compliance with MMS Offshore Inspection Program Pacific Region |
| 1984 | MMS/EPA | MOU regarding The Coordination of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Issuance |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
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The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have announced a five-year agreement allowing BSEE to capitalize on the best risk management approaches from the aeronautics industry to inform stakeholders and further strengthen worker and environmental safety protections on the Outer Continental Shelf. Probabilistic risk assessment is a technique used by NASA to quantitatively model risk. It was used in the modeling of the Space Shuttle Program and is presently being used for the International Space Station and Orion deep space capsule programs. | |
| 2016 | BSEE/NASA | Quantitative Risk Assessment, Engineering Test Design, and Failure Analysis |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
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BSEE operates the Protected Species Program throughout offshore energy programs on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). BSEE monitors and protects animals identified in the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammals Protection Act. NOAA and BSEE also work together on decommissioning requests under the Rigs To Reef policy. |
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
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BSEE and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coordinate on projects which affect the OCS and shorelines. Both agencies are involved when operators request permission to decommission facilities under the Rigs to Reefs policy. |
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| 1999 | MMS/USACE | MOA between BSEE and the Army Corps of Engineers regarding Overarching Planning and Coordination Procedures for Congressionally-authorized Shore Protection Projects |
Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) |
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The Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) serves as a forum for its federal members to coordinate and maintain awareness of ongoing oil pollution research activities. The Interagency Committee is comprised of 14 members representing federal independent agencies, departments, and department components. The Coast Guard chairs the Interagency Committee and NOAA, BSEE, and EPA rotate assignments as the vice-chair every two years. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires the Interagency Committee to prepare an Oil Pollution Research and Technology Plan to define the roles of each Federal agency involved in oil spill research and development and to promote cooperation with industry, universities, research institutions, State governments, and other nations. The members of the committee are: |
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Internal DOI Partnerships
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management |
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BSEE works closely with BOEM promoting energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible science-based management of offshore conventional and renewable energy and marine mineral resources. BOEM studies the environment and leases resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, BSEE enforces the terms of the leases. BSEE and BOEM historically were both part of the Mineral Management Service (MMS) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE). BOEM and BSEE also collaborate on Rigs to Reefs applications. |
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| 2018 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding NEPA and Environmental Compliance |
| 2014 | BOEM/BSEE/ONRR | MOU between BOEM and BSEE and ONRR |
| 2014 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding Enforcement Activities |
| 2011 | BOEM/BSEE | MOU Between BOEM and BSEE |
| 2011 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding Assignments, Bonding, and Pipelines |
| 2011 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding Geological Data |
| 2011 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding Marine Minerals |
| 2011 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding Plans and Permits |
| 2011 | BOEM/BSEE | MOA regarding Royalty Relief |
Office of Natural Resources Revenue |
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The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) collects and disburses royalty revenues generated by energy production on federal lands, to include the Outer Continental Shelf. BSEE performs meter inspections on behalf of ONRR to ensure companies are accurately reporting production totals. | |
| 2014 | BOEM/BSEE/ONRR | MOU between BOEM and BSEE and ONRR |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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BSEE operates the Protected Species Program throughout offshore energy programs on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). BSEE monitors and protects animals identified in the Endangered Species Act. | |
| 2009 | MMS/FWS | MOU with FWS regarding Implementation of Executive Order 13186, Responsibilities of Federal Agencies to Protect Migratory Birds |