Sponsors (40)
The bill permanently protects Atlantic and Straits of Florida coasts and marine life from new offshore leasing—reducing spill risk and some federal costs—while foregoing potential oil and gas development, associated jobs, and government flexibility to respond to future energy or security needs.
Coastal residents, beach tourism businesses, and local economies face a lower risk of offshore oil spills and the associated economic damage because the bill permanently bans new oil/gas/mineral leasing in the specified Atlantic and Straits of Florida planning areas.
Commercial and recreational fishing communities and marine-dependent livelihoods are better protected because the bill prevents new offshore exploration that would harm marine ecosystems and fisheries.
Federal agencies will likely face lower future regulatory and enforcement costs tied to leasing and oversight in these areas because new leasing activity is barred.
Workers and firms connected to offshore oil and gas development (including construction and service industries) could lose potential jobs and local economic activity due to the permanent ban on new leasing in these areas.
Households and energy consumers could face higher energy costs or reduced domestic energy production over time because the bill permanently blocks potential offshore development in the Atlantic and Straits of Florida.
The statute removes executive discretion over these planning areas, limiting federal flexibility to respond to future energy needs or strategic contingencies.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Statutorily bans any lease or other authorization for oil, gas, or other mineral exploration, development, or production in four named Atlantic OCS planning areas.
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any lease or other authorization for exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in four specified Outer Continental Shelf planning areas: North Atlantic, Mid‑Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida. The ban is statutory and applies notwithstanding any other provision of law that might otherwise allow leasing or authorizations in those planning areas. The law amends federal leasing law to create a permanent, explicit nationwide bar on oil, gas, or mineral leasing and related authorizations in the named offshore planning areas as depicted in BOEM’s 2024–2029 Proposed Final Program map.
Official title: To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf in the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Frank Pallone · Last progress April 10, 2025