Gulf Safety Committee

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INTRODUCTION:

This document formalizes the creation of the Gulf Safety Committee. This group grew out of informal meetings among various Gulf of Mexico (GOM) waterway users, which were encouraged and supported by several regulatory agencies. Based upon the demonstrated potential for significant benefit from this organization, the Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) volunteered to temporarily assume the leadership and coordination functions necessary to allow this organization to mature.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of the Gulf Safety Committee (GSC) is to provide a forum through which the experience, issues and concerns of all GOM waterway stakeholders, users and regulators can be expressed. The group will meet at least twice a year at general membership meetings that are open to the public. These meetings will stimulate discussion and information sharing with the intent of encouraging procedural changes to make the Gulf of Mexico a cleaner, safer and a more secure/economically viable region for commercial and recreational use. If the GSC determines that it is necessary and appropriate, they may recommend voluntary guidelines or regulatory changes from government agencies.

BACKGROUND:

The GSC is a marine transportation system (MTS) committee that grew out of a series of informal meetings among GOM waterway stakeholders, users and regulators that commenced on October 10, 2001. These meetings provide an excellent forum for the various groups to share their concerns and ideas. They spurred initiatives that will ultimately increase personnel and environmental safety and the effectiveness and efficiency of the Gulf’s maritime infrastructure. These informal meetings provided the framework for developing the membership of the groups Executive Steering Board to ensure that the concerns of all waterway users are addressed. Although future additions to the Executive Steering Board (ESB) may be necessary, this makeup was developed from persons that represented the general membership and who demonstrated the desire and/or ability to participate in this group. It is intended to provide the correct mix of users and regulators to ensure the proper representation of a large, complex and diverse user group. The GSC has one standing subcommittee dealing with security issues. Additional standing and ad-hoc subcommittees will be developed as necessary.

ESB MEMBERSHIP:

Enclosure (1) is a list of Executive Steering Board members. Contact information for each is listed. These personnel were selected to ensure representation by waterway stakeholders, users and regulators. They meet to establish the agenda for general membership meetings and serve on/organize subcommittees (both standing and ad-hoc) to study problems identified by the general membership. Although time will be provided for statements during public meetings, individuals are encouraged to convey their concerns to the Executive Steering Board representative for their industry. Requests for a change of the Board membership should be addressed to the Secretary/Recorder.

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