EDITORIAL: Feds must balance efficiency and safety

May 06--April 20 marked the eighth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster that claimed 11 lives and set off a months-long oil spill.

That human and environmental catastrophe took an enormous toll and left the oil industry and the federal watchdogs that are supposed to oversee it with new rules aimed at preventing similar episodes in the future.

The industry has complained that some of the new procedures are overly burdensome, leading to lost time and lost money without appreciably increasing the safety of the people working to fuel the U.S.

The Trump administration has proposed easing some of the regulations, a move that has been predictably welcomed by the industry, according to a story by WWL-TV.

"For years regulatory costs have made it difficult for oil and gas companies to survive a turbulent market," said Gifford Briggs of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. "We applaud the efforts of President Trump and his administration to reduce regulatory burdens without compromising the safety of hardworking men and women in the oil and gas industry."

It has just as predictably criticized by some environmental activists.

"We need more safety, not less," Diane Hoskins, campaign director at Oceana, told WWL. "President Trump and (Interior) Secretary (Ryan) Zinke continue checking off oil and gas industry requests at the expense of healthy coastal communities and economies. Last week marked eight years since BP's exploratory Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded. Reversing the few safety measures put in place -- as a response to that disaster -- is unacceptable and does not make sense. More drilling and less safety is a recipe for disaster."

The balancing act of the federal government is challenging, and there is likely room for compromise on both sides. Automatically endorsing or decrying the changes won't make the new rules any clearer or safer. However, in-depth discussions over changes that can be made to encourage safe practices while allowing oil companies to drill under the sea will ultimately benefit those companies and the many people who live close to the Gulf.

Perhaps that process can move along now. The new rules will have a 60-day comment period, during which time regulators and the industry should work together toward the common goal of making the oilfield safer and more efficient.

Scott Angelle, the former Louisiana lieutenant governor who now leads the Bureau of Safety and Environment Enforcement, will have a significant role in implementing and enforcing the new rules.

He must embrace that responsibility with an eye toward protecting the Gulf along with looking out for the industry.

If there are changes that can be made that will improve efficiency without lessening safety, those could be welcome improvements. But with such a costly lesson in what can go wrong in our recent past, we have to carefully protect the precious lives of our oilfield workers.

Editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper, not of any individual.

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