January 4, 2023

For more than three centuries, the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary suffered from pollution and habitat destruction. As the water's health declined, oysters and other shellfish became contaminated. The NY/NJ Baykeeper, a group dedicated to protecting, preserving, and restoring the ecological integrity and productivity in the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary, is working to bring back the oyster population in Raritan Bay. Ten years ago, NY/NJ Baykeeper needed to find a new home for two oyster reefs it was cultivating… more

June 23, 2020

Our Nation’s oceans protect us, provide us nourishment and give us phenomenal opportunity. Whether it’s the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans or the Gulf of Mexico, these waters are teeming with marine life, providing unparalleled beauty, recreation and economic opportunity for our Nations’ citizens. From north to south, millions of Americans rely on our oceans for jobs, to put food on the table, and to fuel the country. These invaluable resources are critical to our Nation’s security and are… more

October 23, 2017

The Gulf of Mexico is well known as a sports fishing paradise with offshore oil and gas platforms that are home to some of the best fishing in the Gulf. As the Department of Interior recognizes October as National Hunting and Fishing Month, anglers are taking advantage of cooler temperatures to descend on these fertile fishing grounds. “The Gulf of Mexico is unique because nowhere else in the U.S. does the oil and gas industry have such a symbiotic relationship The Gulf of Mexico is well known… more

August 4, 2017

In America, political liberty and our free-enterprise economy mean that nearly anyone can succeed if they find the right combination of sacrifice, hard work, and willingness to take risks. We even have a name for this unique opportunity: the American dream. While for some the phrase may conjure up images of a happy family gathered around the dinner table of a tidy house, surrounded by a white picket fence, the American dream plays out on a much larger scale as well. It encompasses some of the… more

January 17, 2017

The backbone of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is the inspector workforce. Like a non-commissioned officer in the military, these dedicated men and women set the standard and uphold the core values of the organization. They are on the front line, ensuring that the goal of BSEE’s mission - the safe and responsible development of our nation's domestic offshore energy resources - is enforced. BSEE’s has approximately 130 inspectors, who are located in Alaska, California… more

November 16, 2016

Six miles north of Alaska’s Arctic coast, the 5-acre man-made island juts out from the Beaufort Sea amidst the sprawling Arctic. It is Northstar Island, created  almost 20 years ago to develop an oil pool 12,500 feet below the seabed. On this August day, rippling water surrounds the tall cranes and several large buildings that are the island’s most prominent features. Soon, however, snow will blanket the island and the blue waters will change into ice thick enough to support supply trucks… more

November 9, 2016

As audiences around the world watched the movie “Deepwater Horizon,” many of us found ourselves reflecting on the lessons of the actual tragedy that occurred April 20, 2010. Like most of you, I expected the movie to alter some of what the thorough investigations discovered, and I suppose the movie’s effort to create a “bad guy” was predictable. That said, those of us who work to reduce risks related to offshore drilling and upstream production know that it is simplistic and naive to tie… more

October 12, 2016

The same exploratory drive that created digital comput­ers and put Americans on the moon is clearly in evidence when one watches our nation’s energy in­dustry expand its footprint into fron­tier areas such as the ultra-deep­waters of the Gulf of Mexico. My agency, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Safety and Environmen­tal Enforcement, understands that ultra-deepwater oil and gas extrac­tion has an important role to play in meeting America’s energy needs. However, such expansions must be… more

October 12, 2016

A team of high schoolers marches onto the football field at the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium for the main event, briefly shielding their eyes as they step into the bright afternoon sun. The voice of the announcer booms over the loudspeaker as they line up, arranging themselves around their captain on the fifty yard line. Each teammate wears a black and white jersey and a determined expression, as well as protective goggles and a shiny hardhat. Yes, that’s hardhat, not helmet. These… more