What This Bill Does
This bill stops the federal government from offering areas off Florida's coast for oil and gas drilling. It changes the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to create restrictions on three specific ocean planning areas near Florida.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of the Interior or whoever manages oil and gas leasing for the federal government. Companies interested in drilling for oil and natural gas off Florida's coast. People and businesses in Florida's coastal communities.
Key Provisions
• The Secretary cannot offer tracts for oil and gas leasing, preleasing (the process before leasing), or related activities in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico area described in the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Sec. 2)
• The Secretary cannot offer tracts for oil and gas leasing, preleasing, or related activities in the portion of the South Atlantic Planning Area south of 30 degrees 43 minutes North Latitude (Sec. 2)
• The Secretary cannot offer tracts for oil and gas leasing, preleasing, or related activities in the Straits of Florida Planning Area (Sec. 2)
• Existing leases (contracts to drill) granted before this law passes keep their rights and are not affected (Sec. 2)
What Changes
The federal government loses the ability to lease ocean tracts in three specific Florida ocean areas for oil and gas development. Companies cannot apply for new drilling leases in these zones. However, any drilling contracts already signed before this law becomes law remain valid.
Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
I
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118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1443
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit oil and gas
preleasing, leasing, and related activities in certain areas of the Outer
Continental Shelf off the coast of Florida, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 8, 2023
Ms. CASTOR of Florida (for herself, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. SOTO, Mr. FROST,
Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr.
MOSKOWITZ, Ms. WILSON of Florida, and Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources
A BILL
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit
oil and gas preleasing, leasing, and related activities in
certain areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the
coast of Florida, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
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 ‘‘Florida Coastal Protec-
4
tion Act’’.
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HR 1443 IH1S
SEC.
2.
PROHIBITION
OF
OIL
AND
NATURAL
GAS
1
PRELEASING, LEASING, AND RELATED AC-
2
TIVITIES IN CERTAIN AREAS OFF THE COAST
3
OF FLORIDA.
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Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
5
(43 U.S.C. 1344) is amended by adding at the end the
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following:
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‘‘(j) PROHIBITION
OF
OIL
AND
NATURAL
GAS
8
PRELEASING, LEASING, AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
IN
9
CERTAIN AREAS OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA.—
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‘‘(1) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other
11
provision of this section or any other law, the Sec-
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retary may not offer for oil and gas leasing,
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preleasing, or any related activity any tract located
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in—
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‘‘(A) any area of the Eastern Gulf of Mex-
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ico that is referred to in section 104(a) of the
17
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006;
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‘‘(B) the portion of the South Atlantic
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Planning Area south of 30 degrees 43 minutes
20
North Latitude; or
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‘‘(C) the Straits of Florida Planning Area.
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‘‘(2) LIMITATION ON EFFECT.—Nothing in this
23
subsection affects any right under any lease issued
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HR 1443 IH1S
under this Act before the date of enactment of this
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subsection.’’.
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Æ
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