Development and inventory of certain outer Continental Shelf resources

(a)

Definition of United States person

In this section, the term United States person means— (1)any United States citizen or alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; and (2)any person other than an individual, if 1 or more individuals described in paragraph (1) own or control at least 51 percent of the securities or other equity interest in the person. (b)

Authorization of activities and exports involving hydrocarbon resources by United States persons

Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including a regulation), United States persons (including agents and affiliates of those United States persons) may— (1)engage in any transaction necessary for the exploration for and extraction of hydrocarbon resources from any portion of any foreign exclusive economic zone that is contiguous to the exclusive economic zone of the United States; and (2)export without license authority all equipment necessary for the exploration for or extraction of hydrocarbon resources described in paragraph (1). (c)

Travel in connection with authorized hydrocarbon exploration and extraction activities

Section 910 of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7209) is amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

(c)

General license authority for travel-related expenditures by persons engaging in hydrocarbon exploration and extraction activities

(1)

In general

The Secretary of the Treasury shall, authorize under a general license the travel-related transactions listed in section 515.560(c) of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, for travel to, from or within Cuba in connection with exploration for and the extraction of hydrocarbon resources in any part of a foreign maritime Exclusive Economic Zone that is contiguous to the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone. (2)

Persons authorized

Persons authorized to travel to Cuba under this section include full-time employees, executives, agents, and consultants of oil and gas producers, distributors, and shippers.

(d)

Moratorium of oil and gas leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico

(1)

In general

Section 104(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note; Public Law 109–432) is amended— (A)by striking paragraph (1); (B)in paragraph (2), by striking 125 miles and inserting 45 miles; (C)in paragraph (3), by striking 100 miles each place it appears and inserting 45 miles; and (D)by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively. (2)

Regulations

(A)

In general

The Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate regulations that establish appropriate environmental safeguards for the exploration and production of oil and natural gas on the outer Continental Shelf. (B)

Minimum requirements

At a minimum, the regulations shall include— (i)provisions requiring surety bonds of sufficient value to ensure the mitigation of any foreseeable incident; (ii)provisions assigning liability to the leaseholder in the event of an incident causing damage or loss, regardless of the negligence of the leaseholder or lack of negligence; (iii)provisions no less stringent than those contained in the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure regulations promulgated under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.); (iv)provisions ensuring that— (I)no facility for the exploration or production of resources is visible to the unassisted eye from any shore of any coastal State; and (II)the impact of offshore production facilities on coastal vistas is otherwise mitigated; (v)provisions to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that exploration and production activities will result in no significant adverse effect on fish or wildlife (including habitat), subsistence resources, or the environment; and (vi)provisions that will impose seasonal limitations on activity to protect breeding, spawning, and wildlife migration patterns. (3)

Conforming amendment

Section 105 of the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–54; 119 Stat. 521) (as amended by section 103(d) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note; Public Law 109–432)) is amended by inserting and any other area that the Secretary of the Interior may offer for leasing, preleasing, or any related activity under section 104 of that Act after 2006). (e)

Inventory of outer Continental Shelf oil and natural gas resources off southeastern coast of the United States

(1)

In general

The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this subsection as the Secretary) may conduct an inventory of oil and natural gas resources beneath the waters of the outer Continental Shelf (as defined in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331)) off of the coast of the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Georgia in accordance with this subsection. (2)

Best available technology

In conducting the inventory, the Secretary shall use the best technology available to obtain accurate resource estimates. (3)

Request by Governor

The Secretary may conduct an inventory under this subsection off the coast of a State described in paragraph (1) only if the Governor of the State requests the inventory. (4)

Reports

The Secretary shall submit to Congress and the requesting Governor a report on any inventory conducted under this subsection. (5)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection. (f)

Enhanced oil recovery

Section 354(c)(4)(B) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15910(c)(4)(B)) is amended— (1)in clause (iii), by striking and at the end; (2)in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (3)by adding at the end the following:

(v)are carried out in geologically challenging fields.