Green groups to petition Biden for cleanup rules for offshore oil infrastructure

A coalition of environmental advocacy groups plans to petition the Biden administration to propose rules that would require stricter enforcement of cleaning up infrastructure left behind by offshore drilling.

effort follow the report The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found that more than 2,700 idle oil wells and more than 500 platforms in the Gulf of Mexico have not been cleaned up.

It also found that companies that held the rights to drill in the Gulf from 2010 to 2022 missed cleanup deadlines for more than 40% of their wells and 50% of their platforms.

“We are essentially asking the agencies charged with overseeing offshore oil and gas to come together and take action,” said the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the organizations supporting the petition. Said Miyoko Sakashita, Ocean Director.

“Currently, there is no requirement to uncork the well or remove the platform,” Sakashita said.

They want the administration to set legally enforceable cleanup deadlines for drillers and remove pipelines associated with underwater drilling, according to a draft petition first shared with The Hill. It is said that there is.

The group also wants authorities to take legal action to enforce cleanup rules in a timely manner, and to set standards to ensure that companies granted the right to drill offshore can subsequently clean up. There is.

The petition states that oil and gas infrastructure currently can deteriorate if left unused for long periods of time, making it more susceptible to storm damage.

“This damage can lead to catastrophic events such as pollution and severe oil spills, which not only harm marine wildlife but can also have significant coastal impacts.”
community” is written. “Additionally, unplugged wells are of particular concern because they tend to leak oil and other contamination into the marine environment.”

The petition asks the federal government to answer whether it will pursue the rules sought by the groups. If the petition is denied, the organization may file a lawsuit.

The Biden administration has at least taken steps to address this problem. suggest rules Last year’s bill was aimed at increasing scrutiny of companies’ ability to pay to clean up the drilling infrastructure they leave behind.

But Sakashita said the groups were calling for a “much larger, complete overhaul.”

The Hill has asked the Home Office for comment on the petition, which will be submitted on Thursday.