Sponsors (17)
The bill trades off protecting Arctic ecosystems, subsistence ways of life, and reducing spill risk by banning Arctic offshore leasing against foregone energy development — meaning fewer jobs and federal revenues and a possible upward pressure on regional energy costs.
All Americans (especially coastal and Arctic communities) will have a lower risk of large offshore oil spills and associated cleanup costs because the bill bans new Arctic offshore drilling in the Arctic OCS.
Residents of Arctic and coastal communities, Indigenous subsistence users, and wildlife benefit because the bill preserves sensitive Arctic marine ecosystems and local subsistence resources by preventing oil and gas leasing in the defined Arctic OCS.
Consumers and regional energy markets could face higher energy costs or fewer domestic supply options if potential Arctic resources that might have supplemented supply are permanently off limits.
Energy companies and related workers will lose potential revenue and jobs from foregone Arctic offshore leasing and development opportunities.
The federal government (and thus taxpayers) forgoes potential lease revenues and royalties that would have come from Arctic OCS leasing, reducing prospective federal receipts.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress April 10, 2025
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing or extending any lease or other authorization for exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral on Arctic areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, as defined by the Arctic Research and Policy Act. The ban is absolute and applies despite any other provision of law, and does not include funding or new programs.