Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 26, 2010 / Presidential Documents 29397 

Executive Order 13543 of May 21, 2010 

National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill 

and Offshore Drilling 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Establishment. There is established the National Commission 

on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling (the ‘‘Commission’’). 

Sec. 2. Membership. (a) The Commission shall be composed of not more 

than 7 members who shall be appointed by the President. The members 

shall be drawn from among distinguished individuals, and may include 

those with experience in or representing the scientific, engineering, and 

environmental communities, the oil and gas industry, or any other area 

determined by the President to be of value to the Commission in carrying 

out its duties. 

(b) The President shall designate from among the Commission members 

two members to serve as Co-Chairs. 

Sec. 3. Mission. The Commission shall: 

(a) examine the relevant facts and circumstances concerning the root causes 

of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster; 

(b) develop options for guarding against, and mitigating the impact of, 

oil spills associated with offshore drilling, taking into consideration the 

environmental, public health, and economic effects of such options, including 

options involving: 

(1) improvements to Federal laws, regulations, and industry practices applicable to offshore drilling that would ensure effective oversight, monitoring, 

and response capabilities; protect public health and safety, occupational 

health and safety, and the environment and natural resources; and address 

affected communities; and 

(2) organizational or other reforms of Federal agencies or processes necessary to ensure such improvements are implemented and maintained. 

(c) submit a final public report to the President with its findings and 

options for consideration within 6 months of the date of the Commission’s 

first meeting. 

Sec. 4. Administration. (a) The Commission shall hold public hearings and 

shall request information including relevant documents from Federal, State, 

and local officials, nongovernmental organizations, private entities, scientific 

institutions, industry and workforce representatives, communities, and others 

affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, as necessary to carry out 

its mission. 

(b) The heads of executive departments and agencies, to the extent permitted by law and consistent with their ongoing activities in response to 

the oil spill, shall provide the Commission such information and cooperation 

as it may require for purposes of carrying out its mission. 

(c) In carrying out its mission, the Commission shall be informed by, 

and shall strive to avoid duplicating, the analyses and investigations undertaken by other governmental, nongovernmental, and independent entities. 

(d) The Commission shall ensure that it does not interfere with or disrupt 

any ongoing or anticipated civil or criminal investigation or law enforcement 


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29398 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 26, 2010 / Presidential Documents 

activities or any effort to recover response costs or damages arising out 

of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, fire, and oil spill. The Commission 

shall consult with the Department of Justice concerning the Commission’s 

activities to avoid any risk of such interference or disruption. 

(e) The Commission shall have a staff, headed by an Executive Director. 

(f) The Commission shall terminate 60 days after submitting its final 

report. 

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) To the extent permitted by law, and subject 

to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Energy shall provide 

the Commission with such administrative services, funds, facilities, staff, 

and other support services as may be necessary to carry out its mission. 

(b) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 

App.) (the ‘‘Act’’), may apply to the Commission, any functions of the President under that Act, except for those in section 6 of the Act, shall be 

performed by the Secretary of Energy in accordance with guidelines issued 

by the Administrator of General Services. 

(c) Members of the Commission shall serve without any additional compensation for their work on the Commission, but shall be allowed travel 

expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, to the extent permitted 

by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 

U.S.C. 5701–5707). 

(d) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: 

(1) authority granted by law to a department, agency, or the head thereof; 

or 

(2) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(e) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

May 21, 2010. 

[FR Doc. 2010–12805 

Filed 5–25–10; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3195–W0–P 


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