I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1696 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 24, 2009 Mr. Pallone (for himself, Mr. Sires, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Rothman of New Jersey, and Ms. Castor of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf in the Mid-Atlantic and North Atlantic planning areas.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act or the COAST Anti-Drilling Act.

2.

Prohibition of oil and gas leasing in certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf

Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337) is amended by adding at the end the following: (p)

Prohibition of oil and gas leasing in certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other law, the Secretary of the Interior shall not issue a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in— (1)the Mid-Atlantic planning area; or (2)the North Atlantic planning area..