The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) states: "...the outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public, which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development, subject to environmental safeguards, in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needs."[2]
The agency's first director, serving from June 2010 to May 2014, was Tommy Beaudreau.[3] The second director was Abigail Ross Hopper, serving from January 2015 to January 2017.[4] From 2017 to 2021, deputy director Walter Cruickshank served as the acting director.
From February 2021 to January 2023, the director was Amanda Lefton.[5] In an announcement with United States Secretary of EnergyJennifer Granholm on April 27, 2022, Lefton said that her agency would focus on efforts to promote offshore wind projects, saying that BOEM would work to "inspire confidence and demonstrate commitment" for lease planning and calling it her "number-one priority," National Fisherman reported.[6] In January 2023, Lefton announced her resignation, effective January 19.[7]
As of January 19, 2023[update], the director is Elizabeth Klein.[7]
A function inherited from the MMS is the review of nearly 1,700 planned wells and pipelines every year. The BOEM keeps records of shipwrecks, to ensure the Nation's important historical sites are protected. These shipwrecks, particularly when over fifty years old, may be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places,[8] and any new wells or pipelines have to be studied for their potential effect on archaeological sites on the outer continental shelf.[9]
The BOEM maintains a list of shipwrecks and the location.
Northern Eagle (Built 1857) was a fishing schooner lost 1908-03-01[10]
Carrie Strong (Lost 1916)
W.H. Marston (Lost 1927)
Western Empire was abandoned during a hurricane on September 18, 1875. Further research has ruled out the wreck as the Western Empire, and it is now believed to be a naval ship (now referred to as the BOEMRE Vessel ID No. 359) that may have been used as a merchant vessel.[11]
SS Amapala (Built 1924, lost 1942-05-16), sunk by German submarine U-507[16]
The only known German U-boat to be sunk in the Gulf is U-166. After sinking the SS Robert E. Lee the United States Navy patrol craft PC-566 reported hitting and sinking the submarine. This was questioned and the sinking was attributed to a United States Coast GuardGrumman G-44 Widgeon, that reported an attack over 100 miles away, thought to be the U-166. In 2001 the wreckage of U-166 was identified near the wreckage of the Robert E. Lee and in 2014 the record was set straight that PC-566 actually sunk U-166. In 2014 the position, 28°37′N90°45′W / 28.617°N 90.750°W / 28.617; -90.750 was designated a war grave.[17]
^"36 CFR § 60.4". National Archives. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
^Google booksArchived 2022-10-17 at the Wayback Machine: pp 3-179 & 3-180 (table 3-39 and 3-40), Proposed Use of Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading Systems On the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf - Retrieved 2017-02-19