Energy, environment and natural resources

Executive Order 13543: National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling

President: Barack Obama

Created an independent commission to examine the Deepwater Horizon disaster and recommend safer offshore drilling and spill response.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13543 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13543 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13543 do?

EO 13543 established a seven-member bipartisan commission to investigate causes, regulatory failures, containment and cleanup and to recommend reforms. It lacked adjudicatory power, relied on agency cooperation and public hearings, issued its final report in January 2011 and then closed.

Administration position: The commission investigated systems and policy; it did not decide civil or criminal liability.
SignedMay 21, 2010
MembersSeven
Report deadlineSix months from first meeting

Before and after

Before the order

Multiple agencies and congressional committees were investigating the April 2010 explosion and spill.

After the order

A public final report documented systemic risk-management failures and proposed regulatory and industry reforms.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
CommissionInvestigate and recommend reformsCompleted
AgenciesProvide information and assistanceCompleted
Interior and other agenciesConsider recommendations under existing lawImplementation evolved

What happened next

The Deepwater Horizon rig exploded.

EO 13543 created the commission.

The commission released its final report.