February 19, 2016
Safe offshore operations, increased transparency of the permitting process, and appropriate environmental reviews are top priorities for both the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).
Consistent with two settlement agreements filed on January 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, in connection with lawsuits regarding compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act, the bureaus are jointly announcing a Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for well stimulation treatments offshore California.
Well stimulation operations have taken place on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for decades. The bureaus prepared the draft assessment to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of reasonably foreseeable well stimulation treatments at OCS facilities offshore California and invites the public to comment on the draft EA over the next 30 days.
Under the terms of the settlements, future approval and permitting of well stimulation operations will be withheld pending the outcome of the environmental review announced today.
BOEM and BSEE remain committed to safe offshore operations and appropriate environmental reviews of associated activities.