What This Bill Does
This bill stops the Secretary of the Interior from offering energy development leases in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico for a set time period. The bill also requires the Secretary of Defense to report on how oil, gas, wind and other energy development might affect military readiness and national security in other Gulf areas.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Defense, Congress, the Department of Defense and companies seeking energy leases in the Gulf of Mexico.
Key Provisions
• The Secretary of the Interior cannot offer leases for any energy development east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico (Sec. 2(b)(1))
• The Secretary of the Interior cannot offer leases in three specific ocean planning areas (Eastern Gulf, South Atlantic and Straits of Florida) if energy development there would harm military readiness or national security (Sec. 2(b)(2))
• The Secretary of the Interior may still issue leases in these banned areas only for environmental protection like beach restoration, wetlands restoration and habitat protection (Sec. 2(c))
• The Secretary of Defense must report to Congress within 180 days and again by June 30, 2031 on how energy development in the Gulf affects military readiness and national security (Sec. 2(d))
What Changes
If this law passes, energy companies cannot lease federal ocean areas for development in the Eastern Gulf east of the Military Mission Line, the South Atlantic or the Straits of Florida during the moratorium period, unless the development is for environmental conservation purposes.
Important Definitions
The bill defines "Military Mission Line" by referring to another law from 2006. The bill defines "Secretary" to mean the Secretary of the Interior.
Effective Date
The moratorium begins when the bill becomes law and ends on June 30, 2032 (Sec. 2(b)).
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 279
To establish a moratorium on energy development in certain areas of the
Gulf of Mexico, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 7, 2023
Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Florida) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
A BILL
To establish a moratorium on energy development in certain
areas of the Gulf of Mexico, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preserving the Gulf
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Test Range to Ensure Military Readiness Act’’.
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SEC. 2. MORATORIUM ON ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN CER-
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TAIN AREAS OF GULF OF MEXICO.
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(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) MILITARY MISSION LINE.—The term ‘‘Mili-
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tary Mission Line’’ has the meaning given the term
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•S 279 IS
in section 102 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security
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Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note; Public Law 109–
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432).
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(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
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the Secretary of the Interior.
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(b) MORATORIUM.—Effective during the period be-
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ginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending
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on June 30, 2032, the Secretary shall not offer for leasing,
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preleasing, or any related activity for energy development
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of any kind—
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(1) any area east of the Military Mission Line
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in the Gulf of Mexico; or
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(2) any area of the outer Continental Shelf de-
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scribed in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of para-
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graph (2) of subsection (d), if oil, gas, wind, or any
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other form of energy exploration, leasing, or develop-
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ment in that area has been identified in a report
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under that subsection as having any adverse effect
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on the national security of the United States or the
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military readiness or testing capabilities of the De-
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partment of Defense.
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(c)
ENVIRONMENTAL
EXCEPTIONS.—Notwith-
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standing subsection (b), the Secretary may issue leases in
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areas described in that subsection for environmental con-
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servation purposes, including the purposes of shore protec-
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•S 279 IS
tion, beach nourishment and restoration, wetlands restora-
1
tion, and habitat protection.
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(d) REPORTS.—
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days
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after the date of enactment of this Act, and not
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later than June 30, 2031, the Secretary of Defense
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shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations
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and Armed Services of the Senate and the Commit-
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tees on Appropriations and Armed Services of the
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House of Representatives a report that describes the
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impact of oil, gas, wind, and any other form of en-
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ergy exploration, leasing, or development in areas of
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the outer Continental Shelf described in paragraph
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(2) on the national security of the United States and
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the military readiness and testing capabilities of the
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Department of Defense.
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(2) AREAS DESCRIBED.—The areas of the outer
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Continental Shelf referred to in paragraph (1) are
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the following:
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(A) Any area west of the Military Mission
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Line in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning
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Area.
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(B) The South Atlantic Planning Area.
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(C) The Straits of Florida Planning Area.
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Æ
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