I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 52 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 5, 2011 Mr. Connolly of Virginia (for himself and Mr. Tonko) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that treatment of the issuance of any exploration plans, development production plans, development operation coordination documents, and lease sales required under Federal law for offshore drilling activity on the outer Continental Shelf as a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for the purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Oil Pollution Environmental Review Act or OPERA.

2.

Application of NEPA to offshore drilling activity

(a)

In general

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

32.

Application of National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(a)

In general

The head of any Federal agency shall treat the issuance of any exploration plans, development production plans, development operation coordination documents, and lease sales required under Federal law for offshore drilling activity on the outer Continental Shelf as a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for the purposes of section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and requiring detailed environmental analysis of such proposed actions and reasonably foreseeable subsequent actions. (b)

Definitions

In this section the term offshore drilling activity— (1)means drilling for oil or gas under a lease, or conducting a major geophysical seismic survey, under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act; and (2)includes such drilling or surveying for exploration, development, or production.

. (b)

Repeal of 30-Day deadline for Approval of exploration activities

Section 11(c)(1) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1340(c)(1)) is amended by striking The Secretary shall approve such plan, as submitted or modified, within thirty days of its submission, except that the and by inserting The.