Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “More Energy More Jobs Act”.
More Energy More Jobs Act
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 for the 5-year period 2016 through 2020, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
The Congress finds the following:
More than 85 percent of all offshore areas remain off-limits to oil and gas exploration. The current plan for offshore oil and gas development under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), the Five-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012–2017, scales back on previous draft plans by removing the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and areas in the Atlantic. It also excludes the entire Atlantic Coast, the entire Pacific Coast, and nearly all of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, which have been little explored.
Many State governments have expressed a desire to proceed with oil and gas exploration and development off their coasts, but have not had the support of the Federal Government.
The Congress delegated its authority over Federal lands of the outer Continental Shelf (as that term is defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.)), including for the offshore oil and gas leasing process, to the Secretary of the Interior under that Act. The Congress has the authority to enlarge the role of interested State governments.
Sec. 3 Requirement to issue new 5-year oil and gas leasing program
In general—
Requirement— Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall issue an oil and gas leasing program under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) for the subsequent 5-year period.
Termination of existing program— The Five-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012–2017 shall have no force or effect after the issuance of an oil and gas leasing program under this section.
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 by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (5) and (6), and 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 (as that term is used in that Act) 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 alternative Federal action; and
“(C) include in development of the 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—The Secretary shall include in the final program issued under this section each area nominated by a State under paragraph (2), unless the Secretary determines that the impacts of oil and gas development in a particular area cannot be effectively mitigated and the development is not in the national economic interest. 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 is not in the national economic interest or why the impact of oil and gas development in such area could not be effectively mitigated, and what steps the Secretary took to try and do so. After submittal of such report to such Governors, 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 national economic interest and why oil and gas development in the area concerned can be effectively mitigated.
“(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.”