Impact of Regulations--After Federal Leasing--On Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Development
EMD-81-48
Published: Feb 27, 1981. Publicly Released: Feb 27, 1981.
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Highlights
After industry acquires outer continental shelf (OCS) lands, several federal and state permits or approvals are needed before any drilling activity may begin. With the Outer Continental Oil Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978, Congress sought to interject a balance between development of oil and gas resources and preservation of other coastal water resources. GAO evaluated the effects of requirements stemming from the amendments and other legislation on industry efforts to explore and develop oil and gas resources after leases are awarded.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress should enact legislation to establish a standard, reasonable time within which all federal agencies, particularly the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers, are required to complete approvals and issue permits. A maximum 90-day turnaround time should be the general rule, including the time for state consistency reviews. |
Closed
|
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Commerce | The Secretary of Commerce, working through the Coastal Zone Management Program and the Steering Committee, should encourage and assist other coastal States in developing legislation and administrative procedures similar to California for making local permitting and review processes more uniform, timely and coordinated. The Secretary of the Interior should complement that undertaking by requiring the Department to encourage states in developing cooperative programs and to seek greater participation in joint review processes. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should also establish within the Department a permit assistance office, patterned after the California example, and charge it with such tasks as helping applicants understand the permitting process; working with other permitting agencies; helping to mediate disputes; coordinating joint evaluation programs; consolidating public hearings; monitoring decision time limits; and feeding back information to the newly created Steering Committee. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
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Topics
Coastal zone managementEnergy suppliesEnvironmental monitoringFederal regulationsLicensesMarine mineral resources developmentMarine resourcesOffshore gas resourcesOffshore oil drillingOffshore oil resources