July 26th, 2010
07:50 AM ET
12 years ago

Fight brews over drilling watchdog

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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/26/art.oildrilling.0723r.gi.jpg caption ="The agency that oversees offshore drilling is up for a complete overhaul."]New York (CNNMoney.com) - The government was supposed to keep an eye on offshore oil drilling, it was supposed to make sure nothing went wrong.

Clearly, something went very wrong. Now the agency that oversees offshore drilling – already entangled in a sex, drugs and rubber-stamping scandal even before the BP disaster – is up for a complete overhaul.

Formerly the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the Obama administration has renamed it the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.

Plans are to further split the agency up into three separate divisions, all under the Department of Interior. The idea is to remove an apparent conflict of interest – charging one agency with both ensuring safety and maximizing oil revenues for the federal government.

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Filed under: CNNMoney.com • issues • Minerals Management Service
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. JonDie

    And Republicans will do everything possible to protect big oil's profits so I doubt the watchdog will be able to do anything.

    July 26, 2010 08:22 am at 8:22 am |
  2. Keith in Austin

    Split it into three seperate groups and expand each! Classic Obama!!! Bigger Government, more ineptitide!

    July 26, 2010 08:33 am at 8:33 am |
  3. diridi

    Just pass the "Energy and Climate reform". All will be alright. Nation needs more fuel independence.

    July 26, 2010 08:36 am at 8:36 am |
  4. Henry Miller, Libertarian

    Are any of you so naive as to think that the Minerals Management Service was the only incompetent, corrupt, agency of the federal government?

    The truth of the matter is that the MMS, or the "BOEMRE," is typical of all of government, staffed by incompetent, greedy, venal, losers too lazy to actually work for a living, hiding behind a civil service system that protects them from the firing they very much deserve.

    And Obama wants these grasping dullards to be in charge of your health care, and just about every other aspect of your life.

    July 26, 2010 09:00 am at 9:00 am |
  5. LISA

    goverment agnecies are the best. lets keep asking the feds to take care of EVERYTHING FOR US..... WHAT A JOKE

    July 26, 2010 09:20 am at 9:20 am |
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