Trump Sets BOEM 2019 Budget at USD 179.3 Million

U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed a budget of USD 179.3 million for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, under a total budget for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) of USD 11.7 billion. 

The DOI budget includes USD 792 million in current and permanent funding for energy-related programmes, of which USD 379.2 million is earmarked for offshore energy development: USD 179.3 million for BOEM’s activities in offshore oil and gas and renewable energy development, and USD 199.9 million for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). BSEE’s budget will support streamlining the permitting process, conducting inspections, evaluating emerging offshore technologies, improving safety, conducting training, and maintaining up-to-date policies, standards, and guidelines.

BOEM’s budget for 2019 includes USD 9.4 million to build the proposed 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program and USD 20.7 million for renewable energy to support renewable energy development activities including the siting and construction of offshore wind farms on the OCS, as well as other forms of renewable energy such as wave and current energy.

The amount requested for renewable energy activities in 2019 is some USD 3 million below the budget under the Continuing Resolution (CR) for 2018, and close to USD 4 million below the actual budget for 2017. BOEM’s conventional energy activities would see an increase of more than USD 3 million in 2019.

“BOEM’s FY 2019 Request is responsive to the Administration’s America-First Offshore Energy Strategy,” said BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank. “It recognizes BOEM’s vital role in advancing responsible offshore energy development as part of the Administration’s comprehensive effort to secure the Nation’s energy future, benefit the economy, and create jobs.”

The president’s budget request of USD 11.7 billion for the Department of the Interior also includes a legislative proposal to establish the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund, which will provide up to USD 18 billion to address Interior’s deferred maintenance backlog in national parks, national wildlife refuges and Bureau of Indian Education schools through funding from energy leasing revenues.