[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1559 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1559
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue an oil and gas leasing
program under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2023
Mr. Moran (for himself, Mr. Cuellar, and Mr. Moore of Alabama)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue an oil and gas leasing
program under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``More Energy More Jobs Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO ISSUE NEW FIVE-YEAR OIL AND GAS LEASING PROGRAM.
(a) Requirements for Development of New Leasing Programs.--Section
18(c) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344(c)) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs
(5) and (6); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Development of program.--In preparing each leasing
program under this section, the Secretary shall--
``(A) allow the Governor of a coastal State to
nominate for leasing under such program areas of the
outer Continental Shelf that are adjacent to the waters
of that State;
``(B) include each area nominated under
subparagraph (A) in the draft leasing program under
this section and consider leasing of such areas as an
additional or alternative Federal action; and
``(C) include the established program resource
estimates that are available, and develop resource
estimates for the areas for which such data are not
available including for the areas nominated under
subparagraph (A).
``(3) Inclusion of state-nominated areas.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall include in
the final program issued under this section each area
nominated by a State under paragraph (2) if the
Secretary determines that development in such area will
best meet national energy needs and is consistent with
the principles set forth in subsection (a).
``(B) Report.--If the Secretary omits any area
nominated under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall
submit to the Governor that nominated the area and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives a report detailing why oil and gas
development in such area do not best meet national
energy needs and is not consistent with the principles
set forth in subsection (a).
``(C) Alternative views.--After submittal of the
report required by subparagraph (B), each such Governor
shall be provided 60 days within which to offer
alternative views on why the Secretary's findings are
not consistent with the principles set forth in
subsection (a).
``(4) Notice of effectiveness of plan.--The Secretary shall
publish in the Federal Register a notice of the effectiveness
of each oil and gas leasing program issued under this section
on the date such program takes effect.''.
SEC. 3. ANNUAL LEASE SALES IN GULF OF MEXICO REGION.
Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1344) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Annual Lease Sales in Gulf of Mexico Region.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Central gulf of mexico planning area.--The
term `Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area' has the
meaning given the term `Central Planning Area' in
section 102 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act
of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note; Public Law 109-432).
``(B) Western gulf of mexico planning area.--The
term `Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area' means the
Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area of the outer
Continental Shelf, as designated in the document
entitled `2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas
Leasing Draft Proposed Program' and dated January 2015.
``(2) Annual lease sales.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, beginning in fiscal year 2023, the Secretary
shall hold a minimum of 2 region-wide lease sales annually in
the Gulf of Mexico pursuant to this Act, each of which shall
include areas in--
``(A) the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area; and
``(B) the Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area.
``(3) Requirements.--
``(A) In general.--In carrying out the lease sales
under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall issue leases
to the highest responsible qualified bidder or bidders.
``(B) Areas included in lease sales.--In carrying
out the lease sales under paragraph (2), the Secretary
shall include in each lease sale all unleased areas
that are not subject to restrictions as of the date of
the lease sale.
``(4) Environmental review.--
``(A) In general.--With respect to each lease sale
required under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall
conduct any environmental review required by the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.).
``(B) Timeline for environmental review.--
``(i) Deadline.--The Secretary shall
complete an environmental review conducted
pursuant to subparagraph (A) not later than--
``(I) with respect to an
environmental assessment, 1 year after
the date on which the Secretary issues
a notice of intent to prepare such
environmental assessment; and
``(II) with respect to an
environmental impact statement, 2 years
after the date on which the Secretary
issues a notice of intent to prepare
such environmental impact statement.
``(ii) Adjustment of timeline.--An entity
that is issued a lease pursuant to a lease sale
under paragraph (2) may enter into--
``(I) 1 or more agreements with the
Secretary to extend a deadline
described in clause (i) by not more
than 6 months for each such agreement;
and
``(II) an agreement with the
Secretary to otherwise adjust any
deadline under this subparagraph.
``(k) Permitting.--
``(1) In general.--Pursuant to sovereign contracting rights
and obligations, the Secretary shall review and grant or deny
in accordance with paragraph (2) any application for a permit
or other approval for offshore oil and natural gas exploration,
development, and production activities under a lease issued
pursuant to this Act by not later than the earlier of--
``(A) 75 calendar days after the date on which the
application is received by the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management or the Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement; or
``(B) any other applicable deadline required by
Federal law.
``(2) Approval or denial.--
``(A) In general.--Absent clear grounds for denial
of an application for a permit or other approval
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall grant
the permit or approval.
``(B) Requirement.--If the Secretary denies an
application for a permit or other approval under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall provide to the
applicant written notice explaining the grounds for the
denial.''.
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