WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, praised the announcement Thursday by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell that Abigail Ross Hopper has been named the new director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Hopper currently serves as Director of the Maryland Energy Administration.

“I fully expect Abby Hopper to bring the same pragmatism and reliance on good science with her to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that she has used to serve the people of Maryland. She is a Marylander, and with that comes the experience of living in a coastal area where environmental security is intertwined with economic security, regional culture and history. Abby understands the risks that come with putting profits ahead of science and the need to protect our oceans and shorelines,” said Senator Cardin. “We need an energy policy that makes sense for America, invests in clean energy that will help our economy grow, furthers our energy security and is friendly to our environment. Abby’s depth of experience with energy policy and ability to work with multiple stakeholders make her exceptionally qualified to help lead our country to a more secure energy future.”

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is an agency within the Department of Interior tasked with promoting energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based management of offshore conventional and renewable energy and marine mineral resources.

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