Sponsors (9)
The bill protects Mid‑Atlantic coastal communities, fisheries, and the local environment (and yields modest climate benefits) by banning new offshore leasing there, but it forgoes some local jobs, lease revenues, and a measure of domestic oil and gas supply flexibility.
Coastal residents, beachgoers, and nearshore ecosystems in the Mid‑Atlantic face a lower risk of oil spills, contamination, and related environmental damage because new offshore leasing in the specified area is prohibited.
Local fisheries and tourism-dependent businesses in the Mid‑Atlantic are protected from potential disruption and economic losses tied to new offshore oil and gas activity.
Blocking new production in the specified Mid‑Atlantic area reduces future greenhouse gas emissions compared with allowing new offshore oil and gas development there.
Workers and firms that would have participated in Mid‑Atlantic offshore leasing and development (rig crews, suppliers, construction and service firms) lose potential jobs and contracts tied to new leases.
Federal and state royalty and tax revenues that would have resulted from Mid‑Atlantic leases and production are foregone, reducing potential public receipts for governments and taxpayers.
Prohibiting new leasing in that area reduces domestic oil and gas supply options, which could modestly affect energy markets or increase reliance on production elsewhere or imports.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Permanently bars federal oil and gas leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area shown in the 2024–2029 Proposed Final Program.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Deborah K. Ross · Last progress April 10, 2025
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any lease for exploration, development, or production of oil or gas on the Outer Continental Shelf within the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area shown in the 2024–2029 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program (September 2023). The change creates a statutory withdrawal of that specific Mid-Atlantic area from federal oil and gas leasing. The law does not change leasing in other OCS areas, does not authorize new spending, and does not set an alternative energy or revenue plan; it simply bars issuance of new federal oil and gas leases in the defined Mid-Atlantic planning area unless Congress later amends the law.