[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 522 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 522
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require annual lease
sales in the Gulf of Mexico region of the outer Continental Shelf, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2021
Mr. Crenshaw (for himself, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Jackson, Mr.
Weber of Texas, Mr. Gooden of Texas, Mr. Guest, Mr. Carl, and Mr.
Gohmert) 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 annual lease
sales in the Gulf of Mexico region of the outer Continental Shelf, 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 ``Conservation Funding Protection
Act''.
SEC. 2. 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:
``(i) 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 `Draft Proposed Program Outer Continental
Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2007-2012' and dated
February 2006.
``(2) Annual lease sales.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, beginning in fiscal year 2022, 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 reviews required by the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.).
``(B) Deadline.--
``(i) Individual review.--If the Secretary
conducts environmental reviews with respect to
a lease sale under subparagraph (A) for each
individual lease included in the lease sale,
the Secretary shall complete all environmental
reviews for the lease sale, including by
issuing a finding of no significant impact or a
record of decision, if applicable, in less than
365 calendar days.
``(ii) Programmatic review.--If the
Secretary conducts a programmatic environmental
review with respect to a lease sale under
subparagraph (A) for all leases under the lease
sale, the Secretary shall complete the
programmatic environmental review, including by
issuing a finding of no significant impact or a
record of decision, if applicable, in less than
180 calendar days.
``(j) 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
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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