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Requires the Interior Department to hold at least 20 offshore oil and gas lease sales during the 10 years after enactment, with specific timing, locations, and minimum acreage for each sale. It also restricts how litigation can delay issued leases and permit processing, and amends an existing leasing moratorium by extending its date and adding geographic areas while allowing narrow environmental exceptions.
Defines “offshore lease sale” as an oil and gas lease sale held by the Secretary under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, offering the same lease form, terms, economic conditions, and stipulations as in the final notice of sale (88 Fed. Reg. 80750, Nov. 20, 2023), and that results in issuance of leases within 90 days to highest bidders if acceptable bids are received (subject to BOEM procedures effective March 8, 2016 for certain prior sales).
Defines “Secretary” to mean the Secretary of the Interior.
The Secretary may waive any other requirements under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) that would delay final approval of an offshore lease sale under subsection (c).
Notwithstanding the 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, the Secretary shall conduct not fewer than 20 offshore lease sales during the 10-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall carry out a lease sale under this subsection in accordance with the Record of Decision approved January 17, 2017 (82 Fed. Reg. 6643 (Jan. 19, 2017)).
Who is affected and how:
Offshore oil and gas industry and prospective lease bidders: Gains more predictable and mandated opportunities to bid on leases because the law requires a minimum number of sales, sets dates, minimum acreage, and limits the ability of litigation to halt lease execution or permit processing. That increases planning certainty for companies and investors.
Federal agencies (Department of the Interior and permitting offices): Must follow specified sale schedules, location and acreage requirements, and implement procedural rules; they may face increased administrative workload and compressed timelines to carry out mandatory sales and process associated permits.
Coastal shoreline communities and local economies: May see increased economic activity, jobs, and revenue in areas opened to leasing—and potential negative effects on tourism, fisheries, and coastal uses in areas where leasing occurs.
Commercial and recreational fishers and marine environment stakeholders: Face potential habitat disruption, vessel traffic increases, and other environmental and operational impacts in areas where new leasing and development occur.
Environmental groups and litigants: Experience reduced ability to use litigation to delay or halt leases and permits because the legislation narrows litigation effects; this may limit opportunities to pause activities pending environmental review.
Legal and regulatory landscape: The law shifts authority and timing from agency discretion and judicial delay toward a statutory timetable, which could reduce uncertainty for industry but increase tensions over environmental review adequacy and statutory limits on judicial oversight.
Net effect: The legislation pushes U.S. offshore policy toward increased, scheduled leasing and faster implementation of lease-related activity while preserving some moratorium protections in specified areas; it creates clear economic opportunities for industry and costs/risks for ecosystems, fisheries, and some coastal communities, and imposes binding operational obligations on Interior and permitting agencies.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Bill Cassidy · Last progress January 16, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate