May 15, 2012

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director James A. Watson participated in the Marine Board of the National Academies Spring Meeting. Director Watson joined representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a panel discussion of research needs and priorities. The meeting was attended by members of the Marine Board and guests. Director Watson provided updates on the organization and mission of BSEE, the bureau's regulatory focus, and highlighted BSEE's two research arms, the Technology Assessment Programs (TAP) program and the Oil Spill Response Research program (OSRR).

The TAP Program was established to ensure that industry operations on the Outer Continental Shelf incorporated the use of the best available and safest technologies, supporting research associated with operational safety and pollution prevention. More information on the TAP program can be found on our Technology Assessment and Research page.

BSEE also maintains a comprehensive, long-term research program dedicated to improving oil spill response options in offshore waters. More information on OSRR can be found on our Oil Spill Response Research page.

In addition, OSRR manages the National Oil Spill Response Research and Renewable Energy Test Facility (Ohmsett), a 667 feet long, 65 feet wide test tank filled with 2.5 million gallons of salt water used to test oil spill pollution prevention and response methods in an environmentally-safe facility. More information on recent tests at Ohmsett can be found on our Oil Spill Response Research Project Categories page.

Click for the Transportation Research Board website.