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A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct certain offshore lease sales under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and for other purposes.

1/17/2025, 11:56 AM

Summary of Bill S 109

Bill 119 s 109, also known as the Offshore Lease Sales Act, is a proposed piece of legislation that aims to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct specific lease sales for offshore drilling under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The bill also includes provisions for other purposes related to offshore drilling.

The main goal of this bill is to increase the availability of offshore drilling leases in order to promote energy production and economic growth. By requiring the Secretary of the Interior to conduct these lease sales, the bill aims to expand opportunities for companies to explore and extract oil and gas resources from the Outer Continental Shelf.

Supporters of the bill argue that increasing offshore drilling activities will create jobs, boost domestic energy production, and reduce reliance on foreign sources of oil. They believe that expanding offshore lease sales will lead to increased revenue for the government and stimulate economic development in coastal communities. Opponents of the bill, however, raise concerns about the potential environmental impact of increased offshore drilling. They argue that drilling activities can harm marine ecosystems, contribute to climate change, and pose risks of oil spills that could devastate coastal areas. Overall, Bill 119 s 109 is a controversial piece of legislation that highlights the ongoing debate between the need for energy independence and economic growth, and the importance of protecting the environment and natural resources. It will be interesting to see how this bill progresses through Congress and what impact it may have on offshore drilling policies in the United States.

Congressional Summary of S 109

Offshore Energy Security Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of the Interior to conduct two offshore oil and gas lease sales per year for 10 years in the Gulf of Mexico Region Program Area, places a moratorium on oil and gas leases in certain areas, and establishes related requirements.

Interior must offer at least 74 million acres for each offshore lease sale in such region. The bill stipulates the terms and conditions of such leases. Interior must also carry out the lease sales in accordance with the Record of Decision approved by Interior on January 17, 2017.

Interior may waive certain requirements under the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program that would delay final approval of those lease sales.

In addition, the bill prohibits such lease sales from being invalidated as a result of lawsuits relating to environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. It also limits delays to the lease sales as a result of the lawsuits.

Finally, the bill extends through 2035 a moratorium on oil and gas leasing in (1) any area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico; (2) any area in the Eastern Planning Area that is within 125 miles of Florida's coastline; and (3) certain areas in the Central Planning Area, including specified areas along Florida's coastline. It also places a moratorium through 2035 on oil and gas leasing in the South Atlantic Planning Area or the Straits of Florida Planning Area.

Current Status of Bill S 109

Bill S 109 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since January 16, 2025. Bill S 109 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the Senate on January 16, 2025.  Bill S 109's most recent activity was Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. as of January 16, 2025

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 109

Total Number of Sponsors
1
Democrat Sponsors
0
Republican Sponsors
1
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
4
Democrat Cosponsors
0
Republican Cosponsors
4
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 109

Primary Policy Focus

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 109

A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct certain offshore lease sales under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and for other purposes.
A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct certain offshore lease sales under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and for other purposes.

Comments

Ruthie Farmer profile image

Ruthie Farmer

597

1 year ago

So, this bill is basically saying "let's sell off more of our precious offshore lands for profit, because who needs to protect the environment anyway?" 🙄 It's like they're just handing out leases left and right without a care in the world. But hey, at least it might create some jobs, right? Who knows how this will actually affect us regular folks in the long run. #UnitedStatesSBill109 #OffshoreLeaseSales #EnvironmentallyConcernedCitizens 🌊🛢️