Page 14: of Marine News Magazine (September 2016)

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INSIGHTS

Regardless of the level we are speaking to, our association

Besides the elephant in the room that is the down- turn in the energy markets, what else is occupying is always impressed with the Coast Guard’s willingness to

OMSA’s time these days? ? nd a solution, instead of looking for reasons to say “no.”

It’s always surprising to see where the next challenge Additionally, OMSA has a very good partnership with the comes from. This year’s surprise came from the Bureau of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency charged

Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). As part of almost with enforcing the Jones Act. We were especially pleased every recent offshore lease sale BOEM has declared that to see CBP announce in July the formation of the Na- offshore activity doesn’t affect onshore air quality. Most tional Jones Act Division of Enforcement (JADE). This people would think those statements were proof the exist- of? ce—headquartered right here in New Orleans—will ing national and international regulations on vessel emis- be a clearinghouse for all coastwise trade and Jones Act sions were working. Yet, BOEM published a new massive issues and assist CBP and industry partners in understand- rule regarding offshore air emissions. After surveying our ing and enforcing the Jones Act and coastwise trade laws. members, we determined that the rule would cost OMSA We’re certain that the formation of JADE, will lead to a members at least $270 million in just initial compliance furthering of our partnership. costs. Yet, the agency’s own analysis said they were unsure the rule would have any positive effect on the environ-

You bring to OMSA deep Washington, D.C. experi- ence from the legislative side of the equation. What ment. For that reason, we worked with our members to can maritime organizations like OMSA do better to ensure these detrimental and unnecessary impacts were communicate “the message” to our elected of? cials?

well documented in the docket. OMSA also worked with

The best thing OMSA—and anyone else wanting to af- our industry partners (API, NOIA, OOC, IADC and oth- fect policy—can do is, be involved. Elected of? cials, be ers) to have an amendment passed by the House of Repre- they local, state, or federal of? cials can only represent and sentatives that prohibits this regulation from moving for- ward before it is proven necessary and cost effective. This advocate for your views if they know what your views are. amendment was championed by U.S. Representatives John The OMSA Board of Directors has always understood that fact and has always prioritized political involvement. That

Culberson (R-TX) and Steven Palazzo (R-MS). Addition- ally, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) led a letter from 16 said; the recent Louisiana budgetary ? ghts and other legis- lative and regulatory issues have caused us to be more in- of his Senate colleagues to BOEM echoing OMSA’s mes- sage of not moving forward with the regulation until it is volved in politics and policymaking. For this reason, we’ve empirically proven to be bene? cial. All of that said, OMSA redoubled our efforts in Washington and have become recently sat down with BOEM and found the agency to be more involved in Baton Rouge than ever before. Some ex- very receptive to our comments. As such, we are hopeful amples of this involvement include having Louisiana Gov- that if these regulations are promulgated, they will be done ernor John Bel Edwards come and speak to our members so in a way that provides a positive environmental impact and, this year, we took more members to DC for our an- nual ? y-in than ever before. In short, the old adage about without negatively affecting our members. policymaking remains true, if you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu.

You mentioned working with BOEM, but what about the other regulatory agencies? How is OMSA’s rela- tionship with those agencies? The past 18 months have been especially dif? cult for

Jones Act proponents – the attacks from various co-

OMSA and the Coast Guard continue to have a great alitions have ramped up considerably. Where are we working partnership. In fact, at least twice a year the OMSA now in that battle? Is the situation still precarious?

Board of Directors and Admiral Paul Thomas meet for the

To be truthful, I’m running out of ways of telling the

OMSA/Coast Guard Partnership. During these meetings, we spend hours in a constructive dialogue regarding safety Board of Directors and membership of the latest unprec- edented attack against the Jones Act. While these attacks improvements and other issues impacting the offshore in- dustry. Sometimes, we agree to disagree, most of the time are unfortunate, they haven’t moved the needle. Besides a non-compulsory sentence in the unof? cial part of a defeat- we ? nd a pathway forward. Even when we don’t ? nd con- sensus, we know that our regulators are listening to the ed budget alternative and single plank in the non-binding needs of our industry. That willingness to listen extends Republican Party platform, the Jones Act remains intact. down to the District and Sector level as well. We have local Every attempt to weaken the actual law has been decid-

Image: Harvey Gulf

Coast Guard personnel at almost every OMSA meeting. edly defeated. Of course, that is a very good thing. The

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