Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management relating to "Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources".

This measure cancels a federal rule from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) about protecting old items and sites on the ocean floor. The canceled rule would have required companies seeking approval for offshore oil and gas work to submit an archaeological report that identifies any remains or artifacts at least 50 years old in the project area. With the rule nullified, companies would no longer have to file these reports by default; instead, BOEM would only require a report when it believes such resources may be present in the area.

In short, it overturns the “Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources” rule, which had expanded reporting requirements for offshore projects.

• Who is affected: Companies planning oil and gas exploration or development on the Outer Continental Shelf.
• What changes: Routine archaeological reports are no longer required with every plan; reporting returns to a case-by-case basis when BOEM has reason to believe resources may be present.
• What counts as a resource: Material remains of human life or activity that are at least 50 years old and of archaeological interest.