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Some recent editorials and news stories have falsely characterized regulatory review efforts currently underway at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, apparently without having actually read the proposed revisions. One editorial in the Houston Chronicle expressed worries that many, including the U.S. Government and our agency, commonly referred to as BSEE, might have forgotten the lessons of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy and other offshore incidents. For the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement nothing could be further from the truth.

What happened on the Deepwater Horizon and to the Macondo well greatly harmed my home state of Louisiana, claimed the lives of 11 offshore workers and caused sustained, lifelong injuries that continue to impact others who were aboard that day, and will never be forgotten. The regulatory reaction to this event was put in place long ago, beginning in 2010 and through 2012.  The editorial in the Houston Chronicle fails to mention that BSEE is not proposing any changes to the rules enacted in the immediate aftermath of Deepwater Horizon: The Drilling Safety Rule and the Safety and Environmental Management Systems Rules (commonly called SEMS I and SEMS II).  

Regulation will always have an important role to play in our society, but it should never be the case that once a regulation is written it is beyond review. Well-intentioned regulations sometimes turn out to be overly burdensome or ineffective. Periodically reviewing regulations is nothing new and is something previous administrations have done.

The revisions our agency proposed recently are a set of changes to the 2016 Well Control Rule. This rule was not put in place during the aftermath of Deepwater Horizon; it was promulgated in the final year of the Obama Administration, six years after the Deepwater Horizon incident. We found that much of the Well Control Rule contains common-sense provisions – which we are leaving untouched – but some provisions were pushed through over strong, common-sense objections and concerns voiced during the public comment period.

Our regulatory review process was conducted logically by BSEE’s career federal employees. Many of the employees who worked on the rule review were with the agency at the time of the Deepwater Horizon incident and are committed to safety.

Our mandate was simple: establish regulatory certainty for offshore activities that is consistent with safe and responsible development of America’s offshore natural resources in line with principles of sound public stewardship. To fulfill this mandate we were guided by the adage, “use a scalpel, not a chainsaw.” After a careful review of the Well Control Rule’s 342 provisions, the BSEE team of career engineers and regulatory specialists proposed revisions for less than 18 percent of them.

The BSEE team then compared each of the changes they proposed to the 424 recommendations arising from the 26 separate reports from 14 different organizations developed in the wake of – and in response to – the Deepwater Horizon incident.  This required 78,440 separate and specific analyses. After careful analysis, the team determined that none of the proposed rule changes would ignore or contradict any of those recommendations, or alter any provision of the 2016 Well Control Rule in a way that would make the result inconsistent with those recommendations.

We have now entered the next phase of the regulatory review process, one where we invite public comment and dialogue. Our goal is to provide America with smart regulations that ensure safe exploration for America’s energy future, and we are optimistic the public comment period will further help us reach that goal.

Energy is vital to our way of life. In addition to helping to fuel America, the royalties and other revenues from offshore oil and gas contributed over $2 billion to the U.S. Treasury last year. These revenues support our national parks, our wildlife refuges, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and other critical programs. The 300,000 plus jobs tied to the offshore make a lot of things possible; they support families, and provide revenues for teachers, schools, libraries, and police departments.

I am on record as having said, “We must NEVER have another Deepwater Horizon or anything close to it.” I come to work every day with the lessons of that tragedy in mind. The lessons are ingrained in BSEE’s commitment to continuously work for safe and responsible operations offshore. We owe this to the men and women who each day put on their hard hats and steel toe boots, and kiss their families good-bye to do the hard work necessary to fuel America.

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ERATH — Kaye Broussard has had a long run in teaching music at Erath Middle School.
Her journey began 32 years ago, with 27 of those years at Erath Middle. Recently, Broussard decided to retire with great service and wonderful times under her belt.
Broussard comments on her years as a teacher as ‘some of the best times’ she has had in her professional life. “Who gets to go to work, listen, play, and teach music, and thoroughly enjoy every aspect of your job? It has truly been such a pleasure growing with my students, as well as watching them grow. I get to teach them for several years throughout their middle school stay, so it is very easy to get attached.”
She often tells her students to enjoy what you do, and do what you love. “I have had so much fun, and it has been an awesome experience.”
Her reason for retiring at this point in time is simply because she is having ‘way too much fun’. “I want to be able to remember these times as good times.” Aging becomes everyone; she wants these memories to be fond, rather than being anything other than that.
She wants to be able to travel with her husband, spend time with her eight grandchildren, and enjoy her home life with her family. “The sky is the limit, I can do whatever I want, with this being my last year teaching, I will still probably wake up at 5 am, but with that time, I can do whatever I want.”
Erath Middle Principal Wendy Stoute said Broussard has earned that option.
“We want to wish Ms. Kaye Broussard the very best in her retirement,” Stoute said. “She has given so selflessly for the past 27 years here at Erath Middle School. Her passion for music and love for her students was evident every day, in every single class. She will be missed but has earned every bit of her retirement!
“Thank you Ms. Kaye for inspiring and motivating all of your students to do their very best!”
With only a few days left of her school teaching career, it is definitely a bittersweet moment. Leaving her life’s work at the school, and continuing her life’s work at home, Broussard will surely miss her children at school, but will definitely soak up her time with her children and grandchildren at home.
“I am scared, happy and sad,” Broussard said, “all at the same time. To have lived on such a tight schedule, which I loved, I get to live on my own schedule.
“It’s going to be interesting, new, and very different from the past 32 years.”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00AM on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church for Roger Paul Dartez, 65, who passed away on Monday, May 14, 2018.
Fr. Paul Bienvenu, Pastor of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, will be Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the funeral services.
Burial will take place in St. Alphonsus Mausoleum.
Mr. Roger, a resident of Maurice, was the son of the late Gabriel Dartez and the former Neddie Broussard. Roger was the owner and operator of Direct Satellite Systems Inc since 1992. As an avid LSU fan, he enjoyed watching football with his family and friends. He also enjoyed horse racing, especially watching the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes. Roger was very outgoing, never met a stranger, and will be missed by many.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 47 years, Deborah "Debbie" Broussard Dartez; siblings, Arlene McDowell and husband Pat, Rachael Trahan and husband Johnny, Fabian Dartez; numerous nieces and nephews; and their four legged companion, Molly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Gabriel and Neddie Dartez.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 from 2:00PM to 8:00PM. A Rosary will be recited at 6:00PM on Wednesday evening in the funeral home. Visiting hours will continue Thursday from 8:00AM until the time of service.
Pallbearers will be Bradley Duhon, Michael Broussard, Jess Broussard, Kelsi Duhon, Dale Broussard, Wayne Vincent, and Fabian Dartez.
Personal condolences may be sent to the Dartez family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 200 Chief H. Fred Road, Maurice, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Miss Stacey Honeycutt of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky and Mr. Clint Roy of Abbeville, Louisiana are pleased to announced their engagement and forthcoming marriage.
The wedding will take place on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at Millikan Farms Venue in Sophia, North Carolina.
Stacey is the daughter of Betsy and Byron Craig and Kenneth Boyd of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.
Her grandparents are Cotton and Buddy Dawson of Paris, Kentucky and Frances Boyd and the late Charles Boyd of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.
Clint is the son of Beverly Trahan Giardelli and the late Leonard Giardelli, Sr. of Abbeville, Louisiana.
His grandparents are Girlie and Leroy Herbert of Abbeville, Louisiana.
Clint is employed as a superintendent for Sunland Construction.