Sponsors (6)
The bill creates a path for states to convert offshore structures into reefs with new funding and a predictable permitting process that benefits fisheries and reduces operator uncertainty, but it risks shifting long‑term cleanup liability and raising navigation and short‑term safety risks by leaving structures in place or delaying removals.
State governments can choose to assume liability and maintenance for decommissioned offshore structures and receive up to 50% of applicant cost savings, giving states new funding and local control for reef management.
Fisheries and recreational anglers in coastal/rural communities benefit because 'Reefing in Place' preserves established reef ecosystems and enhances fish habitat.
Utilities, lessees, and permitting authorities gain a more predictable, time‑bound administrative process (eligibility, assessments, appeals), reducing regulatory uncertainty and lowering decommissioning costs for operators.
State governments and taxpayers could face shifted cleanup costs and long‑term liability if costs to maintain or remediate reefs exceed the anticipated savings transferred from applicants.
Marine transportation workers, commercial and recreational mariners, and the Coast Guard may face increased navigational hazards or environmental risks if structures left in place or toppled deteriorate over time.
The temporary prohibition on removal orders during assessment and decision periods could delay urgent removals, forcing the Coast Guard and local governments to manage heightened short‑term safety or environmental risks.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a formal "reef in place" approval process for inactive offshore structures with defined notices, assessments, deadlines, appeals, and optional state liability transfers.
Introduced October 14, 2025 by Mike Ezell · Last progress October 14, 2025
Creates a formal process for owners of inactive offshore structures to request permission to leave those structures in place and convert them into artificial reefs. The measure defines key terms, sets time limits for notices, assessments, eligibility determinations, planning area designation, and Secretary confirmation, establishes an appeals process, allows states to assume liability and maintenance in exchange for a share of cost savings, and limits federal removal orders during specified review windows except for imminent threats.