Interior rebuffs inquiry on stalled oil spill bill

“Not that question,” the aide said, and ushered Bromwich outside the Interior Department building where the panel discussion took place.

The House approved a sweeping bill in late July to boost safety standards, increase industry liability limits and implement a series of reforms to Interior’s troubled offshore drilling regulation, among other provisions.

But a companion measure responding to the BP oil spill has yet to come up in the Senate as the clock winds down on the 111th Congress.

Bromwich – who has repeatedly availed himself to the press in the past – did ultimately speak briefly to reporters as he departed Wednesday’s discussion.

He said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement that he heads would press ahead with its expanded oversight even as it awaits increased funding for the efforts.

“We are going to do everything we can. We obviously need the money, but we are proceeding full speed ahead with the reorganization and we will certainly do what we can with all the resources that we have available. . . . We are making good progress,” he said.

The White House this month asked Congress to approve nearly $100 million in additional fiscal year 2011 cash for ongoing efforts to beef up and overhaul Interior’s offshore drilling oversight, which would be offset by increasing industry inspection fees and other sources.

But the Senate Appropriations Committee recently cancelled a markup of the EPA-Interior Department spending bill as Republicans were preparing amendments that would have blocked EPA climate change rules.

Interior is implementing new safety rules and dividing revenue collection, development, and environmental and safety divisions to prevent conflicting missions.