Follow up to previous postings on the Gulf Coast oil spill, this news release: “Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has determined it is appropriate that deepwater oil and gas drilling resume, provided that operators certify compliance with all existing rules and requirements, including those that recently went into effect, and demonstrate the availability of adequate blowout containment resources. Secretary Salazar reached his decision after reviewing a report from Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEM) Director Michael R. Bromwich and considering other information on the progress of offshore oil and gas safety reforms, the availability of spill response resources, and improved blowout containment capabilities.”

• For a fact sheet on recent offshore oil and gas drilling reforms, click here.
• For a fact sheet on the requirements operators must fulfill before resuming deepwater drilling operations, click here.
• For a signed copy of Secretary Salazar’s decision memorandum, lifting the deepwater suspensions, click here, or click here for an unsigned text PDF.
• For Director Bromwich’s report on safety practices, spill response resources, and blowout containment capabilities, click here.