link to page 1 
Updated November 19, 2021
Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2022
Three entities in the Department of the Interior (DOI) share
funding in the sections below refer to total budget authority,
responsibility for managing the nation’s ocean energy
regardless of offsets. ONRR’s funding does not include
resources on almost 2.5 billion acres of the U.S. outer
offsetting collections.
continental shelf (OCS). The Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) administers offshore energy leasing
BOEM Appropriations
and mineral development; the Bureau of Safety and
The Biden Administration requested $227.8 million in total
Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) oversees offshore
BOEM budget authority for FY2022 (Table 1). This was an
operational safety and environmental protection; and the
18% increase over the total FY2021 budget authority of
Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) manages
$192.8 million provided in P.L. 116-260, the Consolidated
public revenues from federally regulated offshore and
Appropriations Act, 2021. House-passed H.R. 4502 would
onshore energy and natural resource projects. BOEM,
provide $223.9 million in total FY2022 budget authority for
BSEE, and ONRR receive appropriations in the annual
BOEM, 16% more than FY2021 and 2% less than requested
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
by the Administration. S. 3034 would provide BOEM with
bill. Issues include determining the aggregate and program-
total budget authority of $227.8 million, the same as the
level appropriations for each entity.
request and 18% more than FY2021. The total budget
authority consists of discretionary appropriations and
On July 6, 2021, the House Committee on Appropriations
offsetting collections (see below).
reported an FY2022 Interior appropriations bill, H.R. 4372
(H.Rept. 117-83), with funding for BOEM, BSEE, and
BOEM’s funding is contained in a single budget account,
ONRR. On July 29, 2021, the House passed H.R. 4502, a
titled Ocean Energy Management. Within this account, the
consolidated appropriations bill with the same amounts for
Conventional Energy budget activity ($60.5 million
the three entities. On October 18, 2021, the Senate
FY2021; $62.3 million FY2022 request and S. 3034; $58.5
Appropriations Committee chair released a majority draft
million H.R. 4502) funds administration of oil and gas
bill, later introduced as S. 3034, with FY2022 funding for
leasing, including the development of forward-looking five-
BOEM, BSEE, and ONRR. Because FY2022
year leasing programs. BOEM sought a funding increase
appropriations were not enacted by the start of the fiscal
primarily to support fixed costs such as health and
year, a continuing resolution, P.L. 117-43, provides
retirement benefits.
appropriations at FY2021 levels through December 3, 2021,
or until full-year appropriations are enacted.
The Renewable Energy activity ($28.5 million FY2021;
$45.8 million FY2022 request, S. 3034, and H.R. 4502)
Total budget authority for BOEM and BSEE includes both
supports BOEM’s management of renewable ocean energy
discretionary appropriations and offsetting collections
resources. BOEM requested added funding to boost its
derived from a portion of OCS rental receipts, cost-
workforce capacity and invest in research and stakeholder
recovery fees, and (for BSEE) inspection fees. The
engagement. The House committee report “urge[d] BOEM
discretionary appropriations for each fiscal year are reduced
to continue its engagement with states, local communities,
by the amount of eligible fees and receipts collected, so that
and other stakeholders.” A draft explanatory statement from
the final amount appropriated to each agency is the net of
the Senate committee directed “consulting early and often
those collections. Discussions of account- and activity-level
with the commercial fishing industry” and others.
Table 1. BOEM, BSEE, and ONRR Appropriations, FY2021 and FY2022
($ mil ions)
FY2021 Enacted
FY2022
House-Passed
House Bill % Change Senate
Senate Bill % Change
Agency
(P.L. 116-260)
Request H.R. 4502
from FY2021
S. 3034
from FY2021
BOEM Total Budget Authority
192.8
227.8
223.9
+16%
227.8
+18%
BOEM Net Appropriation
127.8
184.8
180.9
+42%
184.8
+45%
BSEE Total Budget Authority
198.7
253.4
228.4
+15%
252.7
+27%
BSEE Net Appropriation
125.1
195.4
170.4
+36%
194.7
+56%
ONRR Total Appropriation
148.5
169.6
153.5
+3%
169.6
+14%
Source: Data from House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
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Notes: Net appropriations reflect estimated reductions to discretionary appropriations based on offsetting col ections. Table does not reflect
an additional $1.0 mil ion for the “Decommissioning BOEM Account,” provided in relation to a general provision in H.R. 4502 and S. 3034.
The Environmental Assessment activity ($75.9 million
among other activities. BSEE requested increased funding
FY2021; $86.8 million FY2022 request, S. 3034, and H.R.
to support its offshore renewable energy program.
4502) supports BOEM’s responsibilities for assessing the
environmental impacts of ocean energy activities to inform
The Environmental Enforcement activity ($4.8 million
planning and policy decisions. BOEM’s requested funding
FY2021; $5.5 million FY2022 request, S. 3034, and H.R.
increase mainly would support its Environmental Studies
4502) supports BSEE’s compliance with environmental
Program.
statutes and its oversight and enforcement of environmental
compliance by operators on the OCS. BSEE stated that the
The Marine Minerals activity ($10.8 million FY2021;
requested FY2022 increase was for its renewable energy
$15.0 million FY2022 request, S. 3034, and H.R. 4502)
program.
supports management of offshore non-energy minerals,
particularly sand and gravel, as well as BOEM’s assessment
The activities for Administrative Operations ($18.2 million
of critical minerals on the OCS. The House committee
FY2021; $20.2 million FY2022 request and H.R. 4502;
report stated that its funding increase was to support
$19.5 million S. 3034) and Executive Direction ($18.1
BOEM’s National Offshore Sand Inventory, and the Senate
million FY2021; $18.4 million FY2022 request, S. 3034,
committee stated that BOEM’s critical minerals assessment
and H.R. 4502) fund a range of administrative services as
should continue at “no less than enacted levels.”
well as BSEE’s executive offices. BSEE’s FY2022 request
included funding for zero-emission vehicles and the DOI-
The Executive Direction activity ($17.2 million FY2021;
wide Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
$17.9 million FY2022 request, S. 3034, and H.R. 4502)
Initiative, among others.
covers leadership, budgeting, technology, and related
activities. The requested increase was primarily for fixed
BSEE also proposed a new budget activity under the OSEE
costs and to implement a DOI-wide Diversity, Equity,
account, titled Offshore Decommissioning. BSEE
Inclusion, and Accessibility Initiative.
requested $30.0 million to “properly” decommission
orphaned well and pipeline infrastructure. While S. 3034
Net of estimated offsetting collections, the FY2022 request
would provide the requested amount, H.R. 4502 would
was $184.8 million, 45% more than the net appropriation of
provide only $5.0 million. The House committee report
$127.8 million in FY2021. The greater percentage change
stated that it “strongly disagrees that the ultimate
from last year in the net versus total request reflects that
responsibility for these activities should fall to the
BOEM anticipates less in offsetting rental receipts and cost-
American taxpayer.” The committee would require a
recovery fees for FY2022 than were collected in FY2021.
briefing on BSEE’s plans for obtaining financial assurance
The House and Senate bills also reflect lower estimated
from operators regarding infrastructure decommissioning.
offsetting collections. The net amount in S. 3034 is the
same as in the request, and is $180.9 million in H.R. 4502,
The second BSEE account, Oil Spill Research ($14.9
2% less than requested and 42% more than FY2021.
million FY2021; $15.1 million FY2022 request, S. 3034,
and H.R. 4502), funds research and planning for oil spill
Separately, BOEM proposed and the House and Senate bills
responses and supports Ohmsett, the National Oil Spill
included a general provision (Section 126) establishing a
Response Research and Renewable Energy Test Facility.
new offshore decommissioning account for BOEM. Both
BSEE stated that the added funding for FY2022 would go
bills would appropriate $1.0 million for this account.
toward research on the safety and sustainability of
renewable energy operations.
BSEE Appropriations
The Administration requested $253.4 million in total budget
BSEE’s requested net appropriation after offsetting
authority for BSEE for FY2022, a 28% increase over the
collections was $195.4 million, 56% more than the FY2021
FY2021 total budget authority of $198.7 million in P.L.
net appropriations of $125.1 million. Net of offsetting
116-260 (Table 1). House-passed H.R. 4502 would provide
collections, H.R. 4502 would provide $170.4 million, 13%
BSEE with total FY2022 budget authority of $228.4
less than the request and 36% more than FY2021. S. 3034
million, 10% less than the request and 15% more than the
would provide $194.7 million, less than 1% below the
FY2021 total budget authority. S. 3034 would provide
request and 56% above FY2021.
$252.7 million in total budget authority for BSEE, less than
1% below the request and 27% more than FY2021.
ONRR Appropriations
ONRR, which manages revenues from both offshore and
BSEE’s funding is appropriated under two budget accounts,
onshore energy, is funded within the broader appropriation
Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement (OSEE)
for DOI’s Department-Wide Programs. For FY2022, the
and Oil Spill Research. Under the OSEE account, the
Administration requested $169.6 million for ONRR, an
Operations, Safety, and Regulation activity ($152.8
increase of 14% over the FY2021 funding of $148.5 million
million FY2021; $164.1 million FY2022 request, S. 3034,
(Table 1). The requested increase was mainly for
and H.R. 4502) supports BSEE’s development of
information technology (IT) modernization. S. 3034 would
regulations and safety standards, review and approval of
provide the requested amount. House-passed H.R. 4502
OCS operating permits, inspections of facilities and
would provide $153.5 million, 3% more than the FY2021
equipment, and oversight of operator safety programs,
amount and 10% less than the request.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2022
IF11933
Laura B. Comay, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11933 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED