BOEM Names New Pacific OCS Regional Director

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Hopper has announced Joan Barminski as the Regional Director of the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region.

Barminski, who starts her position immediately, will be responsible for managing the development of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii.

Barminski will lead an office of scientists and program specialists responsible for managing 43 existing oil and gas leases offshore southern California and actively working with the states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii to provide access to offshore wind and wave energy resource development on the Pacific OCS.

Barminski began her federal career as an oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey in Washington DC. She has since held geoscience positions in the former Minerals Management Service North Atlantic and Santa Maria District Offices; management positions in the Pacific Region Field Operations and Production, Development & Resource Evaluation Offices; and as Deputy Regional Director.

In 2009, Barminski was appointed the Department of the Interior representative to the Executive Committee of the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health. When BOEM was formed in October 2011, Barminski was asked to manage the Pacific Region Office of Strategic Resources, which carries out the regional implementation of BOEM’s energy and marine minerals programs.

Barminski, a California Registered Geologist, holds a B.A. in geology from Smith College and completed graduate work in coastal processes and marine geology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Source: BOEM