Dear Mr. Secretary:

It is with disappointment and deep frustration that we must again write regarding the Department of the Interior's failure to comply in a meaningful way to our April 25, 2011 request seeking 5 categories of documents related to White House edits that led to the inclusion of the 6-month Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium in the Executive Summary ofthe final May 27, 2010 report entitled, "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf' ("ISM Report"). The revisions in question implied that the moratorium had been peer reviewed by technical experts, who had proVided input into the report's recommendations, when in fact, they had not reviewed or endorsed the moratorium in the Executive Summary of the final report. A November 8, 2010 report from the Department's Office ofInspector General ("OIG") "determined that the White House edit ofthe original DOl draft Executive Summary led to the implication that the moratorium recommendation had been peer reviewed by the experts." Many months have passed and yet the Department has provided virtually no responsive materials and, in fact, has blocked the OIG from providing documents requested by the Committee. This letter provides notice of our intent to move to compel cooperation and production of documents and communications in accordance with the deadlines listed below.

Read the entire letter HERE.