---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 U.S.C. § 1352"
title: "43"
title_heading: "Public Lands"
number: "1352"
heading: "Oil and gas information program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/1352"
units:
  - "Chapter 29 — Submerged Lands"
  - "Subchapter III — Outer Continental Shelf Lands"
---

# §1352. Oil and gas information program

- (a) **Access to data and information obtained by lessee or permittee from oil or gas exploration, etc., data obtained by Federal department or agency from geological and geophysical explorations—**
  - (1)
    - (A) Any lessee or permittee conducting any [exploration](/usc/43/1331.md?p=k) for, or [development](/usc/43/1331.md?p=l) or [production](/usc/43/1331.md?p=m) of, oil or gas pursuant to this subchapter shall provide the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) access to all data and information (including processed, analyzed, and interpreted information) obtained from such activity and shall provide copies of such data and information as the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) may request. Such data and information shall be provided in accordance with regulations which the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall prescribe.
    - (B) If an interpretation provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph is made in good faith by the lessee or permittee, such lessee or permittee shall not be held responsible for any consequence of the use of or reliance upon such interpretation.
    - (C) Whenever any data and information is provided to the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b), pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph—
      - (i) by a lessee, in the form and manner of processing which is utilized by such lessee in the normal conduct of his business, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall pay the reasonable cost of reproducing such data and information;
      - (ii) by a lessee, in such other form and manner of processing as the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) may request, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall pay the reasonable cost of processing and reproducing such data and information;
      - (iii) by a permittee, in the form and manner of processing which is utilized by such permittee in the normal conduct of his business, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall pay such permittee the reasonable cost of reproducing such data and information for the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) and shall pay at the lowest rate available to any purchaser for processing such data and information the costs attributable to such processing; and
      - (iv) by a permittee, in such other form and manner of processing as the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) may request, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall pay such permittee the reasonable cost of processing and reproducing such data and information for the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b),

      pursuant to such regulations as he may prescribe.

  - (2) Each Federal department and agency shall provide the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) with any data obtained by such Federal department or agency pursuant to [section 1340 of this title](/usc/43/1340.md), and any other information which may be necessary or useful to assist him in carrying out the provisions of this subchapter.
- (b) **Processing, analyzing, and interpreting information; availability of summary of data to affected States and local government—**
  - (1) Data and information provided to the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) of this section shall be processed, analyzed, and interpreted by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) for purposes of carrying out his duties under this subchapter.
  - (2) As soon as practicable after information provided to the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) of this section is processed, analyzed, and interpreted, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall make available to the [affected States](/usc/43/1331.md?p=f), and upon request, to any affected local government, a summary of data designed to assist them in planning for the onshore impacts of possible oil and gas [development](/usc/43/1331.md?p=l) and [production](/usc/43/1331.md?p=m). Such summary shall include estimates of (A) the oil and gas reserves in areas leased or to be leased, (B) the size and timing of [development](/usc/43/1331.md?p=l) if and when oil or gas, or both, is found, (C) the location of pipelines, and (D) the general location and nature of onshore facilities.
- (c) **Confidentiality of information; regulations—** The [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall prescribe regulations to (1) assure that the confidentiality of privileged or proprietary information received by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) under this section will be maintained, and (2) set forth the time periods and conditions which shall be applicable to the release of such information. Such regulations shall include a provision that no such information will be transmitted to any [affected State](/usc/43/1331.md?p=f) unless the lessee, or the permittee and all [persons](/usc/43/1301.md?p=h) to whom such permittee has sold such information under promise of confidentiality, agree to such transmittal.
- (d) **Transmittal of information to affected State; protection of competitive position—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall transmit to any [affected State](/usc/43/1331.md?p=f)—
    - (A) an index, and upon request copies of, all relevant actual or proposed programs, plans, reports, environmental impact statements, tract nominations (including negative nominations) and other [lease](/usc/43/1331.md?p=c) sale information, any similar type of relevant information, and all modifications and revisions thereof and comments thereon, prepared or obtained by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) pursuant to this subchapter, but no information transmitted by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) under this subsection shall identify any particular tract with the name or names of any particular party so as not to compromise the competitive position of any party or parties participating in the nominations;
    - (B)
      - (i) the summary of data prepared by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) pursuant to [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) of this section, and (ii) any other processed, analyzed, or interpreted data prepared by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) pursuant to such [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1), unless the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) determines that transmittal of such data prepared pursuant to [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1) of this section would unduly damage the competitive position of the lessee or permittee who provided the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) with the information which the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) had processed, analyzed, or interpreted; and
    - (C) any relevant information received by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, subject to any applicable requirements as to confidentiality which are set forth in regulations prescribed under [subsection (c)](#c) of this section.
  - (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any regulation required pursuant to the second sentence of [subsection (c)](#c) of this section, the [Governor](/usc/43/1331.md?p=j) of any [affected State](/usc/43/1331.md?p=f) may designate an appropriate [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) official to inspect, at a regional location which the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall designate, any privileged information received by the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) regarding any activity adjacent to such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g), except that no such inspection shall take place prior to the sale of a [lease](/usc/43/1331.md?p=c) covering the area in which such activity was conducted. Knowledge obtained by such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) during such inspection shall be subject to applicable requirements as to confidentiality which are set forth in regulations prescribed under [subsection (c)](#c) of this section.
- (e) **Agreement with State to waive defenses and hold United States harmless from failure to maintain confidentiality of information—** Prior to transmitting any privileged information to any [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g), or granting such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) access to such information, the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) shall enter into a written agreement with the [Governor](/usc/43/1331.md?p=j) of such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) in which such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) agrees, as a condition precedent to receiving or being granted access to such information, to waive the defenses set forth in [subsection (f)(2)](#f-2) of this section, and to hold the United States harmless from any violations of the regulations prescribed pursuant to [subsection (c)](#c) that the [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) or its employees may commit.
- (f) **Civil action against United States or State for failure to maintain confidentiality of information; certain defenses unavailable—**
  - (1) Whenever any employee of the Federal Government or of any [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) reveals information in violation of the regulations prescribed pursuant to [subsection (c)](#c) of this section, the lessee or permittee who supplied such information to the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) or to any other Federal official, and any [person](/usc/43/1301.md?p=h) to whom such lessee or permittee has sold such information under promise of confidentiality, may commence a civil action for damages in the appropriate district court of the United States against the Federal Government or such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g), as the case may be.
  - (2) In any action commenced against the Federal Government or a [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Federal Government or such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g), as the case may be, may not raise as a defense (A) any claim of sovereign immunity, or (B) any claim that the employee who revealed the privileged information which is the basis of such suit was acting outside the scope of his employment in revealing such information.
- (g) **Preemption of State law by Federal law—** Any provision of [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) or local law which provides for public access to any privileged information received or obtained by any [person](/usc/43/1301.md?p=h) pursuant to this subchapter is expressly preempted by the provisions of this section, to the extent that it applies to such information.
- (h) **Failure by State to comply with regulations; withholding of information—** If the [Secretary](/usc/43/1331.md?p=b) finds that any [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) cannot or does not comply with the regulations issued under [subsection (c)](#c) of this section, he shall thereafter withhold transmittal and deny inspection of privileged information to such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) until he finds that such [State](/usc/43/1301.md?p=g) can and will comply with such regulations.

## Source credit

(Aug. 7, 1953, ch. 345, § 26, as added Pub. L. 95–372, title II, § 208, Sept. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 664.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Payment of Processing Costs for Data and Information Acquired; Permittees Eligible

Pub. L. 99–349, title I, July 2, 1986, 100 Stat. 732, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for data and information acquired in fiscal year 1986 or thereafter, by the Secretary, pursuant to section 1352(a)(1)(C)(iii) of title 43, United States Code, payment shall be made for processing costs to permittees with permits issued on or before September 30, 1985.”

### Payment of Costs of Reproducing Data and Information Provided to Secretary

Pub. L. 99–190, § 101(d) [title I, § 100], Dec. 19, 1985, 99 Stat. 1224, 1232, provided: “That notwithstanding any other provision of law, when in fiscal year 1986 and thereafter any permittee provides data and information to the Secretary pursuant to section 1352(a)(1)(C)(iii) of title 43, United States Code, the Secretary shall pay only the reasonable cost of reproducing such data and information.”