New England Coastal Protection Act

Bans federal oil and gas leasing, exploration, development, and production in federal waters off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The prohibition is written into the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and applies even if other federal laws might otherwise allow leasing.

The change prevents the federal government from issuing any new offshore oil or natural gas leases in those specified Atlantic waters, removing that area from the pool of leaseable offshore energy resources and directing agencies not to permit such activities there.