The Biden-Harris administration today submitted to Congress the President’s budget for fiscal year (FY) 2022. As the Administration continues to make progress defeating the pandemic and getting our economy back on track, the budget makes historic investments that will help the country build back better and lay the foundation for shared growth and prosperity for decades to come.
The FY 2022 President’s Budget for BOEM provides $227.8 million in total budget authority (an increase of almost $37 million from the FY 2021 enacted budget) to fund the Bureau’s mission to manage the nation’s offshore energy and mineral resources in an environmentally and economically responsible manner.
“BOEM’s FY 2022 budget supports ongoing efforts and important initiatives vital to our mission and Administration priorities, including advancing offshore wind, creating good-paying jobs, supporting economic prosperity, and ensuring the reliability and affordability of clean domestic energy,” said BOEM Director Amanda Lefton. “The increase in funding for BOEM’s resources to advance renewable energy, science, and public engagement highlights the Biden-Harris administration’s steadfast commitment to a clean energy future while considering stakeholder ideas and concerns at every phase of planning and development.”
Renewable Energy. The FY 2022 budget includes $45.8 million for BOEM’s Renewable Energy program, an increase of $17.4 million from the 2021 enacted level. In recognition of the role renewable energy plays in securing the nation’s energy independence, fighting climate change, and supporting economic growth, BOEM continues to advance offshore wind leasing and permitting in support of the administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind production capacity by 2030. BOEM’s work will create greater certainty for the industry; state, local and tribal governments; ocean users; and other stakeholders as the Nation builds out this offshore infrastructure. The FY 2022 budget proposes and underscores the importance of additional funding in support of stakeholder engagement, science, and staffing to increase BOEM’s capacity to help facilitate the nation’s transition to cleaner sources of energy that are both safe and environmentally sound. The budget also advances growing offshore wind capacity in a way that supports job growth for disadvantaged communities.
Marine Minerals. The FY 2022 budget includes $15.0 million for BOEM’s Marine Minerals Program, an increase of $4.2 million from the 2021 enacted level. BOEM continues to focus on the creation of a National Offshore Sand Inventory that identifies sources of sand and other sediment for coastal resilience projects vital to reducing climate change risks to communities and infrastructure. Expanding the sand inventory is important to the nation’s coastal restoration and resiliency efforts as it enables BOEM to proactively plan for the increasing demands for Outer Continental Shelf resources and emergency needs as they arise.
Environmental Programs. The FY 2022 budget includes $86.8 million for BOEM’s Environmental Programs, an increase of $10.9 million from the 2021 enacted level. Science is vital to BOEM’s mission to manage offshore energy and mineral resources in an environmentally and economically responsible manner. BOEM conducts its environmental analyses in a transparent and coordinated manner to ensure that decisions are informed by the best available science. Under the proposed budget, BOEM will continue to use environmental science and assessment as the foundation for sound policy decisions.
Conventional Energy. The FY 2022 budget includes $62.3 million for BOEM’s conventional energy program, an increase of $1.8 million from the 2021 enacted level. Executive Order 14008 requires the Secretary of the Interior to pause new offshore oil and natural gas leasing while the Department performs a comprehensive review of permitting and leasing practices and evaluates royalties and other actions to account for the climate costs of oil and gas resources extracted from offshore waters. The pause applies only to new leasing and BOEM continues to review and approve permits and development plans on existing offshore leases based on industry demand. The comprehensive review will focus on and advance efforts to improve stewardship of public lands and offshore waters as the nation transitions to a clean, just, and equitable energy future that supports sustainable, good-paying jobs.
Additional details on the Department’s FY 2022 budget proposal are available on the Department of Interior’s website at: https://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2022.
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The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for America’s offshore energy and mineral resources. The bureau promotes energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based management of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.