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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10183 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10183

To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Magnuson-Stevens 
 Fishery Conservation and Management Act to provide for the delegation 
 of authority to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to manage certain 
           expanded submerged lands, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 20, 2024

   Mr. Graves of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Carter of Louisiana) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Magnuson-Stevens 
 Fishery Conservation and Management Act to provide for the delegation 
 of authority to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to manage certain 
           expanded submerged lands, 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 ``Offshore Parity Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to provide equity to the States of Louisiana, 
        Mississippi, and Alabama with respect to the seaward boundaries 
        of the States in the Gulf of Mexico by delegating management of 
        the submerged lands from 3 geographical miles to 3 marine 
        leagues if the States meet certain conditions not later than 5 
        years after the date of enactment of this Act;
            (2) in delegating the authority to administer any leases, 
        easements, rights-of-use, and rights-of-way, the States shall 
        ensure that the rights of lessees, operators, and holders of 
        leases, easements, rights-of-use, and rights-of-way on the 
        submerged land are protected; and
            (3) to improve the management of fisheries by allowing the 
        States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to oversee 
        fisheries management in the expanded seaward boundaries.

SEC. 3. DELEGATION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF OIL, GAS, AND OTHER ENERGY 
              ACTIVITIES ON THE EXPANDED SUBMERGED LAND OF LOUISIANA, 
              MISSISSIPPI, AND ALABAMA.

    (a) Delegation.--The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (42 U.S.C. 
1301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 34. DELEGATION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF OIL, GAS, AND OTHER ENERGY 
              ACTIVITIES ON THE EXPANDED SUBMERGED LAND OF LOUISIANA, 
              MISSISSIPPI, AND ALABAMA.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Coast line.--The term `coast line' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 
        U.S.C. 1301).
            ``(2) Expanded submerged land.--The term `expanded 
        submerged land' means the area of the outer Continental Shelf 
        that is located between 3 geographical miles and 3 marine 
        leagues seaward of the coast line of the State as of the day 
        before the date of the enactment of this section.
            ``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            ``(4) State.--The term `State' means Louisiana, 
        Mississippi, or Alabama.
    ``(b) Delegation.--Upon written request of a State before the date 
that is 5 years after the date of enactment of the Offshore Parity Act 
of 2024, the Secretary shall, except as provided in subsection (c), 
delegate to the State the relevant authorities of the Secretary under 
this Act, except the authority under sections 14 and 20, to grant and 
manage leases of the expanded submerged land of the State if the 
Secretary finds that--
            ``(1) it is likely the State will provide adequate 
        resources to carry out such authorities;
            ``(2) the State has demonstrated that it will effectively 
        and faithfully administer the applicable rules and regulations 
        of the Secretary under this Act, including the requirements of 
        subsection (c) of this section; and
            ``(3) such delegation will not create an unreasonable 
        burden on any lessee.
    ``(c) Requirements.--
            ``(1) No lease or tract divided.--The Secretary may not 
        delegate authority under this section with respect to any lease 
        of an area that is not wholly located within the expanded 
        submerged land of the State.
            ``(2) Applicability to existing leases.--The delegation of 
        authority under this section shall apply to any lease of the 
        expanded submerged land of the State granted by the Secretary 
        before the date of enactment of the Offshore Parity Act of 
        2024.
            ``(3) No 5 year plan required.--A State to which authority 
        is delegated under this section shall not be required to 
        prepare, revise, or maintain an oil and gas leasing program 
        under section 18.
            ``(4) Revenue.--
                    ``(A) Rentals, royalties, and other sums.--A State 
                to which authority is delegated under this section may 
                collect rentals, royalties, and other sums, as 
                determined by the State, from any lease granted after 
                the date of enactment of the Offshore Parity Act of 
                2024 by the State under such authority.
                    ``(B) Minimum bid and royalty amounts.--The minimum 
                bid and royalty amounts under section 8 shall not apply 
                to any lease of the expanded submerged land of the 
                State granted by the State after the date of enactment 
                of the Offshore Parity Act of 2024.
                    ``(C) Disposition of revenue.--
                            ``(i) Existing leases.--The delegation of 
                        authority under this section shall not affect 
                        the disposition of revenue under any other 
                        provision of Federal law from any lease of the 
                        expanded submerged land of the State granted 
                        before the date of enactment of the Offshore 
                        Parity Act of 2024.
                            ``(ii) New leases.--Section 9 of this Act 
                        and section 105 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy 
                        Security Act of 2006 shall not apply with 
                        respect to a lease granted after the date of 
                        enactment of the Offshore Parity Act of 2024 by 
                        a State under authority delegated under this 
                        section.
            ``(5) Citizen suits, court jurisdiction, and judicial 
        review.--Section 23 shall not apply with respect to a lease 
        granted after the date of enactment of the Offshore Parity Act 
        of 2024 by a State under authority delegated under this 
        section.
            ``(6) Liability.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State to which authority is 
                delegated by the Secretary under this section shall 
                indemnify the United States for any liability to any 
                holder of an oil, gas, or other energy lease of the 
                expanded submerged land of the State granted before 
                such delegation of authority from the taking of any 
                property interest or breach of contract as a result 
                of--
                            ``(i) the delegation of such authority; or
                            ``(ii) the management of any such lease.
                    ``(B) Deduction from oil and gas leasing 
                revenues.--The Secretary may deduct from the amounts 
                otherwise payable to a State under section 8(g)(2) the 
                amount of any final nonappealable judgment for a taking 
                or breach of contract by such State described in 
                subparagraph (A).
            ``(7) Transfer of bonds.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after 
                delegating authority under this section, the Secretary 
                shall transfer any surety bonds for oil, gas, or other 
                energy leases of the expanded submerged land of a State 
                granted before the date of enactment of the Offshore 
                Parity Act of 2024 to the applicable State. The 
                applicable State shall ensure that any decommissioning 
                of a facility with respect to such leases is carried 
                out in accordance with applicable Federal law, 
                including regulations.
                    ``(B) Failure to transfer bonds.--If the Secretary 
                does not transfer a surety bond for a lease under 
                subparagraph (A) by the deadline described in such 
                subparagraph, the Secretary shall ensure that any 
                decommissioning of a facility with respect to such 
                lease is carried out in accordance with applicable 
                Federal law, including regulations.''.
    (b) Seaward Boundary of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.--
Section 8(g) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1337(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(8) Definition of Seaward Boundary of Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
Alabama.--In this subsection, the term `seaward boundary' means, with 
respect to each of the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, 3 
marine leagues seaward of the coast line (as that term is defined in 
section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301)) of each such 
State as each such coast line exists as of the day before the date of 
the enactment of this paragraph.''.

SEC. 4. STATE JURISDICTION UNDER MAGNUSON-STEVENS FISHERY CONSERVATION 
              AND MANAGEMENT ACT.

    (a) In General.--Section 306(a)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1856(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking the period at the 
        end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) with respect to each of the States of 
                Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, to 3 marine 
                leagues seaward of the coast line (as that term is 
                defined in section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 
                U.S.C. 1301)) of each such State as each such coast 
                line exists as of the day before the date of the 
                enactment of this subparagraph.''.
    (b) Rules of Construction.--
            (1) Highly migratory species.--The amendments made by this 
        section may not be construed to limit or otherwise affect the 
        authority of the Federal Government with respect to highly 
        migratory species, species listed as a threatened species or an 
        endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 
        1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), or fishery resources subject to 
        international agreements as provided under Federal law, 
        including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
        Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the Endangered Species 
        Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and relevant 
        international treaties.
            (2) Federal jurisdiction.--The amendments made by this 
        section may not be construed to limit or otherwise affect the 
        authority of the Federal Government under the Magnuson-Stevens 
        Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et 
        seq.) with respect to--
                    (A) the exclusive economic zone beyond the extended 
                State waters of a covered State; or
                    (B) activities within the extended State waters of 
                a covered State that relate to national security, 
                international obligations, or other matters reserved 
                for Federal authority.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Coast line.--The term ``coast line'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 
        U.S.C. 1301).
            (2) Covered state.--The term ``covered State'' means each 
        of the States of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
            (3) Exclusive economic zone.--The term ``exclusive economic 
        zone'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
        Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1802).
            (4) Extended state waters.--The term ``extended State 
        waters'' means 3 marine leagues seaward of the coast line of a 
        covered State as each such coast line exists as of the day 
        before the date of the enactment of this section.
            (5) Fishery resource.--The term ``fishery resource'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens 
        Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802).
            (6) Highly migratory species.--The term ``highly migratory 
        species'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
        Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1802).
                                 <all>
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