This bill adds a new subsection to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that stops issuing new leases or other authorizations for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas in certain federal offshore areas off Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The prohibition begins on the date the bill is enacted and lasts until June 30, 2032. The areas named are: (A) areas of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico referred to in section 104(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006; (B) the South Atlantic Planning Area as shown in the 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program published September 29, 2023; and (C) the Straits of Florida Planning Area as shown in that same 2024–2029 Proposed Final Program. The bill also states that the prohibition does not affect any rights under leases issued before the date of enactment. The bill includes a "sense of Congress" provision supporting the withdrawal of certain outer Continental Shelf areas from leasing as described in a Presidential memorandum dated September 8, 2020.
If you work in or near offshore oil and gas leasing, this bill would stop the start of any new federal oil or gas leases or authorizations in the named areas while the prohibition is in effect. People who use or live near the coasts of Florida, Georgia, or South Carolina would see no new federal lease activity begin in those specified offshore areas during the prohibition period. Existing leases and rights that were issued before the bill becomes law would remain in effect.
No publicly available information on costs, budgetary effects, or federal spending changes is included in the bill text or metadata.
The bill includes a formal statement that Congress supports withdrawing the listed outer Continental Shelf areas from leasing disposition, as described in the Presidential memorandum dated September 8, 2020. That statement reflects the sponsors' position in the text.
No publicly available information on opposition views or arguments appears in the bill text or metadata.