Sponsors (39)
The bill permanently protects specified Atlantic and Straits of Florida offshore areas to safeguard coastal ecosystems and tourism/fishing economies, at the cost of foreclosing potential oil and gas development with attendant job, energy-supply, and policy-flexibility impacts.
Coastal residents, beach tourism businesses, and fishing communities face lower risk of offshore oil spills and long-term harm because the bill permanently prohibits new oil, gas, and mineral leasing in specified Atlantic and Straits of Florida planning areas, protecting local economies tied to tourism and fisheries.
Federal agencies and taxpayers likely see reduced future regulatory and enforcement costs because there will be no new leasing activity to oversee in the covered planning areas.
Workers and local businesses tied to offshore oil and gas development (including energy workers, construction workers, and service-sector small businesses) lose potential jobs and local economic activity because development in these areas is permanently blocked.
Energy consumers and middle-class families could face higher energy costs or reduced domestic energy production over time because permanently excluding these offshore areas limits potential U.S. supply.
The federal government and taxpayers lose policy flexibility because the bill removes executive discretion to open these areas for leasing in the future, which could constrain responses to changing energy or strategic needs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits federal oil, natural gas, and other mineral leases or authorizations in the North Atlantic, Mid‑Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida OCS planning areas as depicted in BOEM’s 2024–2029 program.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Frank Pallone · Last progress April 10, 2025
Bans the federal government from issuing any new leases or authorizations for exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or other minerals in four specified Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning areas: the North Atlantic, Mid‑Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida, as depicted in BOEM’s 2024–2029 Proposed Final Program. The prohibition is statutory and applies regardless of other provisions of law that might otherwise allow leasing or authorizations.