Section 1 Offshore oil and gas exploration licensing
The Secretary of the Interior shall authorize geological and geophysical surveys related to oil and gas activities on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf, except within areas subject to existing oil and gas leasing moratoria. Such authorizations shall be issued within 30 days of receipt of a completed application and shall, as applicable to survey type, comply with the mitigation and monitoring measures in subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (f), and (g) of section 217.184 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 1, 2022), and section 217.185 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 1, 2022). Geological and geophysical surveys authorized pursuant to this section are deemed to be in full compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and their implementing regulations.