Actions Needed To Increase Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Exploration and Development

The catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has drawn national attention to the exploration and production of oil and gas from leases on federal lands and waters. Several bureaus of the Dept. of the Interior oversee onshore and offshore oil and gas activities, and collects revenues from oil and gas produced. In response to the recent oil spill, the Sec. of the Interior has proposed reorg. several bureaus. This testimony explains how the auditor¿s recommend. can provide guidance on how to achieve effective oversight of federal oil and gas management by improving: (1) technical expertise in the agency; (2) performance of analyses and reviews; (3) enforcement of laws and reg¿s.; (4) public access to info.; and (5) the degree of independence in the agency. Illus.

The catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has drawn attention to the exploration and production of oil and gas from leases on federal lands and waters. The Dept. of the Interior oversees oil and gas activities on federal lands and waters. Onshore, the Bureau of Land Mgmt. has oversight responsibilities. Offshore, the newly created Bureau of Ocean Energy Mgmt., Regulation, and Enforcement(BOEMRE), has oversight responsibilities. Prior to BOEMRE, the Minerals Mgmt. Service¿s Offshore Energy and Minerals Mgmt. oversaw offshore oil and gas activities. This testimony presents the auditor¿s findings in accordance with Interior¿s organizational structure prior to establishing BOEMRE. Charts and tables.