Page 42: of Marine News Magazine (January 2014)

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SALVAGE & THE ENVIRONMENT

BSEE permits: The operator is responsible for submit- ting a decommissioning application to BSEE regardless of whether or not reefi ng is being considered. All decommis- sioning groups should be familiar with the steps required. If the operator is looking to reef the structure, the decommis- sioning plan would include the reefi ng options agreed to between the operator and the state. BSEE and BOEM sub- ject matter experts will review all parts of the application as part of a NEPA analysis, and if necessary delineate required mitigations. Once the mitigations have been addressed, a fi nal NEPA document is issued along with the permit for removal. If the structure is a good candidate for reefi ng, but the lease will expire prior to the expected reefi ng date,

BSEE is able to make an extension of time for the lease.

Donation: The donation generally amounts to 50 per- cent of the realized savings, which is the difference in the cost of full removal and scrapping of the jacket and the cost of reefi ng the structure. These funds are used by the Texas

Artifi cial Reef Program for siting, designing, constructing, monitoring, and otherwise managing the system of artifi - cial reefs in Texas. The majority of the funding to support the Artifi cial Reef Program comes directly from Rigs-to-

Reefs donations.

Material Donation Agreements: Once deployment method and location of the reefi ng has been determined, permits have been obtained, and a donation amount agreed upon, the Program will work up a Material Donation Agree- ment (MDA). The MDA states that the structure will go to a specifi c reef location previously agreed upon by both par- ties, and once the platform is reefed according to the agree- ment, the state takes on all liability for the jacket. However, this does not relinquish the operator from liability associated

BSEE Artifi cial Reef Coordinator - Doug Peter – 504-736- 7514, [email protected]

Texas Artifi cial Reef Program – Chris Ledford – 281- 534-0113, [email protected] / http:// www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/habitats/ artifi cial_reef/

Louisiana Artifi cial Reef Program - Mike McDonough – 225- 763-5418, [email protected] / http://www. wlf.louisiana.gov/fi shing/artifi cial-reef-program

Mississippi Artifi cial Reef Program - Erik Broussard – 228-523-4032 [email protected] / http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/joomla16/index.php/ marine-fi sheries/artifi cial-reef

Points of contact: Source: TPWD 42 MN

January 2014

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