Comments by the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness on BOEMRE ICRS OCS Seismic

CRE‟s comments focus on the seismic aspects of this Information Collection Request (“ICR”). BOEMRE has successfully regulated offshore seismic for years. The costs, burden and efficacy of that regulation, including information collections, are well known. That may soon change.

In New Orleans federal court, environmental group plaintiffs are suing BOEMRE over regulation of seismic in the Gulf of Mexico (“GOM”). At the request of the parties, this litigation is currently stayed until October 1, 2011. The purpose of the stay is settlement negotiations. Based on the parties‟ pleadings, any settlement acceptable to the plaintiffs could dramatically change current regulation of seismic in the GOM, including information collections, and could significantly increase the costs, burden and efficacy of that regulation, including information collections.

Complete comments  below.

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