What This Bill Does
This bill changes the current drilling ban in ocean areas off Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. It extends the deadline for this ban and adds two new ocean planning areas to the places where oil and gas drilling is not allowed.
Who It Affects
The bill affects the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (the federal agency that manages ocean energy leases). It impacts oil and gas companies that operate in the Atlantic Ocean near these three states. It also affects residents of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Key Provisions
• The drilling moratorium (pause on drilling activities) deadline moves from June 30, 2022 to June 30, 2032 (Sec. 2)
• The South Atlantic Planning Area is added to the areas where oil and gas leases cannot be issued (Sec. 2)
• The Straits of Florida Planning Area is added to the areas where oil and gas leases cannot be issued (Sec. 2)
• The moratorium does not cancel oil and gas leases that already exist and are valid as of the bill's enactment date (Sec. 2)
• The Secretary of the Interior can issue leases for environmental conservation purposes, including shore protection, beach nourishment and restoration, wetlands restoration and habitat protection (Sec. 2)
What Changes
The drilling ban that was set to expire in 2022 will now remain in effect until 2032. Two additional ocean areas near Florida and Georgia will be added to the protected regions where new oil and gas drilling leases cannot be issued. Existing valid leases remain unaffected.
Important Definitions
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: the federal agency that manages leases for oil and gas activities in ocean waters.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 583
To amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to extend the
moratorium on drilling off the coasts of the States of Florida, Georgia,
and South Carolina, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 26, 2023
Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. DUNN of Florida, Ms. MACE,
Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. MAST, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. POSEY, and
Mr. DIAZ-BALART) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006
to extend the moratorium on drilling off the coasts of
the States of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, 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 ‘‘American Shores Pro-
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tection Act of 2023’’.
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•HR 583 IH
SEC. 2. MORATORIUM ON OIL AND GAS LEASING OFF THE
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COASTS OF THE STATES OF FLORIDA, GEOR-
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GIA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA.
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Section 104 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security
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Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note; Public Law 109–432)
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is amended—
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(1) in subsection (a)—
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(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
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by striking ‘‘June 30, 2022’’ and inserting
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‘‘June 30, 2032’’;
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(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘or’’
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after the semicolon;
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(C) in paragraph (3)(B)(iii), by striking
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the period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
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and
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(D) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(4) any area in the South Atlantic Planning
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Area (as designated by the Bureau of Ocean Energy
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Management as of the date of enactment of this
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paragraph); or
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‘‘(5) any area in the Straits of Florida Planning
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Area (as designated by the Bureau of Ocean Energy
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Management as of the date of enactment of this
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paragraph).’’; and
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(2) by adding at the end the following:
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•HR 583 IH
‘‘(d) EFFECT ON CERTAIN LEASES.—The moratoria
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under paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (a) shall not
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affect valid existing leases in effect on the date of enact-
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ment of this subsection.
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‘‘(e)
ENVIRONMENTAL
EXCEPTIONS.—Notwith-
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standing subsection (a), 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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tion, beach nourishment and restoration, wetlands restora-
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tion, and habitat protection.’’.
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Æ
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