What This Bill Does
This bill stops the government from allowing energy development in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The ban lasts from when the bill becomes law until June 30, 2032. The ban covers areas east of the Military Mission Line and other areas where energy development could harm military readiness.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of the Interior (the government official managing federal lands and waters) is directly responsible for enforcing this ban. Companies interested in developing oil, gas, wind or other energy in these Gulf of Mexico areas are affected. The Department of Defense and Congress are affected because they must evaluate military impacts.
Key Provisions
• The Secretary of the Interior cannot offer leases (rental agreements allowing energy development) for any area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico during the moratorium period (Sec. 2(b)).
• The Secretary of the Interior cannot offer leases for areas where energy exploration, leasing or development has been identified in a Department of Defense report as having adverse effects on national security or military readiness (Sec. 2(b)).
• The Secretary of Defense must submit reports to Congress within 180 days of the bill becoming law and again by June 30, 2031, describing how energy development in three specific ocean planning areas would impact military readiness and national security (Sec. 2(d)).
• The Secretary of the Interior can still issue leases in these banned areas for environmental protection purposes such as shore protection, beach nourishment, wetlands restoration and habitat protection (Sec. 2(c)).
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, energy companies cannot obtain leases for oil, gas, wind or other energy development east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico until June 30, 2032. Energy companies also cannot develop in other specified Gulf areas if the Department of Defense reports that such development would harm military operations or national security. The government must produce detailed military impact reports on three ocean planning areas.
Important Definitions
• Military Mission Line: Not defined in the bill text itself, but the bill says it has the meaning given in the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.
• Secretary: The Secretary of the Interior.
Effective Date
The moratorium begins on the date the bill is signed into law and ends on June 30, 2032.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 970
To establish a moratorium on energy development in certain areas of the
Gulf of Mexico, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. GAETZ, Mr.
RUTHERFORD, Mr. POSEY, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, and Mr.
GIMENEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Armed
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
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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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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•HR 970 IH
areas described in that subsection for environmental con-
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servation purposes, including the purposes of shore protec-
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tion, beach nourishment and restoration, wetlands restora-
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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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•HR 970 IH
(C) The Straits of Florida Planning Area.
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Æ
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