[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1559 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






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.''.
                                 <all>