I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8718 

To conditionally prohibit commercial offshore wind energy development in 

the Columbia Management Area, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 12, 2024 

Ms. PEREZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To conditionally prohibit commercial offshore wind energy 

development in the Columbia Management Area, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON COMMERCIAL OFFSHORE 

4 WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN COLUMBIA 

5 MANAGEMENT AREA. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 8 of the 

7 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337), no 

8 lease, license, permit, or other authorization may be issued 

9 for the development of commercial offshore wind energy 

10 in the Columbia Management Area unless the Comptroller 


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1 General determines the results of the study conducted 

2 under subsection (b) show that offshore wind projects in 

3 the Columbia Management Area do not and will not have 

4 adverse impacts on the items described in paragraph 

5 (2)(A) of that subsection. 

6 (b) STUDY.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 

8 after the date of the enactment of this section, the 

9 Comptroller General shall conduct a study to assess 

10 the sufficiency of the environmental review processes 

11 of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bu12 reau of Ocean Energy Management, and any other 

13 relevant Federal agency for offshore wind projects in 

14 the Columbia Management Area in place as of the 

15 date of enactment of this section. 

16 (2) CONTENTS.—The study required under 

17 paragraph (1) shall include consideration of the fol18 lowing: 

19 (A) The impacts of offshore wind projects 

20 in the Columbia Management Area on— 

21 (i) marine mammals; 

22 (ii) finfish; 

23 (iii) shellfish aquaculture; 

24 (iv) the commercial and recreational 

25 fishing industries, including marine equipVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:45 Aug 01, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8718.IH H8718

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1 ment retailers, onshore processors, fish 

2 markets, and other shoreside businesses; 

3 (v) air quality and greenhouse gas 

4 emissions; 

5 (vi) cultural, historical, and Tribal re6 sources; 

7 (vii) marine invertebrates; 

8 (viii) essential fish habitat; 

9 (ix) plankton abundance and distribu10 tion; 

11 (x) recreation and tourism; and 

12 (xi) fisheries-dependent communities. 

13 (B) How each agency described in para14 graph (1) determines which stakeholders to con15 sult with regard to offshore wind projects in the 

16 Columbia Management Area and if a timely, 

17 comprehensive comment period is provided for 

18 local representatives and interested parties with 

19 regard to such offshore wind projects. 

20 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) COLUMBIA MANAGEMENT AREA.—The term 

22 ‘‘Columbia Management Area’’ means the area de23 scribed in paragraph (1)(ii) of the definition of the 

24 term ‘‘North-South management area’’ in section 


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1 660.11 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (or 

2 a successor regulation). 

3 (2) ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT.—The term ‘‘es4 sential fish habitat’’ has the meaning given the term 

5 in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con6 servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802). 

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