The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) recently announced steps designed to ensure workplace safety on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy facilities. The new policy, published in the Federal Register on Oct. 18, clarifies that the DOI will act as the principal federal agency for the regulation and enforcement of safety and health requirements for OCS renewable energy facilities.
“This policy statement is a major milestone in advancing the renewable energy program on the OCS,” says Scott Agnelle, bureau of safety and environmental enforcement director. “Further, it reinforces the department’s commitment to set high standards for a safe environment for renewable energy workers offshore.”
The DOI will continue to collaborate with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard to share relevant safety and training information and promote safety on the OCS.
“Ensuring the development of U.S. renewable energy resources helps solidify the nation’s energy independence,” notes the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s acting director, Walter Cruickshank. “This vision can only be realized if safety and health requirements are priorities for future offshore wind development projects.”
To date, the DOI has leased approximately 1.7 million acres in the OCS for offshore wind development and currently has 15 active leases on the Atlantic.
