Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act of 2015

To provide for reforms of the administration of the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act of 2015 (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary. TITLE I—The Gulf of Mexico Offshore Energy and Jobs Act of 2015 Sec. 101. Outer Continental Shelf leasing program reforms. Sec. 102. Moratorium on oil and gas leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Sec. 103. Requirement to implement proposed 2017–2022 oil and gas leasing program. Sec. 104. Disposition of outer Continental Shelf revenues to Gulf producing States. Sec. 105. National defense. Sec. 106. Environmental impact statement requirement. Sec. 107. State authorization. Sec. 108. Air emissions from outer Continental Shelf activities. Sec. 109. Offshore certainty. Sec. 110. Continuous operations rule. Sec. 111. GAO report on cumulative cost of regulation for offshore energy production. TITLE II— The Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Lease Sale Act Sec. 201. Lease sales in Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area, Cook Inlet Planning Area. Sec. 202. Lease terms of certain Chukchi and Beaufort leases. Sec. 203. Distribution of revenue to Alaska. Sec. 204. Inclusion of Beaufort, Nearshore Beaufort, Cook Inlet, and Chukchi lease sales in 5-year leasing programs. Sec. 205. North Slope science initiative. TITLE III—The Southern Atlantic Energy Security Act Sec. 301. Definitions. Sec. 302. Preserving coastal viewsheds. Sec. 303. 2017–2022 leasing program. Sec. 304. Balancing of military and energy production goals. Sec. 305. Disposition of revenues to Atlantic States. Sec. 306. Enhancing geological and geophysical education for America’s energy future. Sec. 307. Atlantic regional office. TITLE IV—Tribal Resilience Program Sec. 401. Tribal Resilience Program. Sec. 402. Tribal Resilience Fund. TITLE V—Miscellaneous Sec. 501. Access to markets. Sec. 502. Reports. 2. Definition of Secretary In this Act, the term Secretary I The Gulf of Mexico Offshore Energy and Jobs Act of 2015 101. Outer Continental Shelf leasing program reforms Section 18(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1344(a) (5) (A) In this paragraph, the term available unleased acreage (B) In each oil and gas leasing program under this section, the Secretary shall make available for leasing, and conduct lease sales including, the available unleased acreage within each outer Continental Shelf planning area in the Gulf of Mexico considered to have the largest undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources (on a total btu basis) based on the most recent national geologic assessment of the outer Continental Shelf, with an emphasis on offering the most geologically prospective parts of the planning area. (6) (A) The Secretary shall include in each proposed oil and gas leasing program under this section any State subdivision of an outer Continental Shelf planning area in the Gulf of Mexico that the Governor of the State that represents that subdivision requests be made available for leasing. (B) The Secretary may not remove a subdivision described in subparagraph (A) from the program until publication of the final program. (7) (A) The Secretary shall make available for leasing under each 5-year oil and gas leasing program under this section any outer Continental Shelf planning area in the Gulf of Mexico that— (i) is estimated to contain more than 2,500,000,000 barrels of oil; or (ii) is estimated to contain more than 7,500,000,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas. (B) To determine which planning areas meet the criteria described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall use the document entitled Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Assessment of Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Oil and Gas Resources of the Nation’s Outer Continental Shelf, 2011 . 102. Moratorium on oil and gas leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico (a) Definition of military mission line Section 102 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (8) Military mission line The term Military Mission Line . (b) Moratorium Section 104(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (1) in paragraph (2), by striking 125 50 (2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) any area in the Central Planning Area that is within— (A) the 181 Area; and (B) 50 miles off the coastline of the State of Florida. . 103. Requirement to implement proposed 2017–2022 oil and gas leasing program (a) In general Except as otherwise provided in this title and the amendments made by this title, the Secretary shall implement the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program (2017–2022) in accordance with the schedule for conducting oil and gas lease sales set forth in that proposed program, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. (b) Modified and additional lease sales Notwithstanding subsection (a) and the schedule of lease sales in the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program (2017–2022), the Secretary shall conduct under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. Lease Sale No. OCS Planning Area Fiscal Year 300 Eastern Gulf of Mexico 2018 301 Eastern Gulf of Mexico 2019 302 Eastern Gulf of Mexico 2020. (c) Lease sales described For purposes of subsection (b), lease sale numbers 300, 301, and 302 shall be conducted— (1) for lease tracts in the Eastern Planning Area, as determined by and at the discretion of the Secretary, subject to subparagraph (3); (2) during the year specified for each such lease sale in the table contained in subsection (b); and (3) in accordance with the applicable provisions of this title. 104. Disposition of outer Continental Shelf revenues to Gulf producing States (a) Definitions Section 102 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (1) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following: (7) Gulf producing State The term Gulf producing State (A) each of the States of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas; and (B) effective beginning in fiscal year 2017, the State of Florida. ; and (2) in paragraph (9)(A)— (A) in clause (i)(II), by striking and (B) by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following: (ii) in the case of fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, all rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to the United States received on or after October 1, 2016, from leases entered into on or after December 20, 2006 in— (I) areas in the 181 Area located in the Eastern Planning Region; (II) the 181 South Area; (III) the Central Planning Area, as described in paragraph (6)(A)(ii); and (IV) the Western Planning Area, as described in paragraph (6)(A)(iii); and (iii) in the case of fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, all eligible rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to the United States from leases entered into on or after October 1, 2016, in the Eastern Planning Area, as described in paragraph (6)(A)(i). . (b) Disposition of revenues Section 105(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking and (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: (2) in the case of qualified outer Continental Shelf revenues described in section 102(9)(A)(ii) generated from outer Continental Shelf areas adjacent to the Gulf producing States described in section 102(7)(A), 50 percent in a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse— (A) 75 percent to those Gulf producing States in accordance with subsection (b); and (B) 25 percent to provide financial assistance to States in accordance with section 200305 of title 54, United States Code, which shall be considered income to the Land and Water Conservation Fund for purposes of section 200302 of that title. ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (3) in the case of qualified outer Continental Shelf revenues described in section 102(9)(A)(iii) generated from outer Continental Shelf areas adjacent to the Gulf producing States described in section 102(7), 50 percent in a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse— (A) 75 percent to those Gulf producing States in accordance with subsection (b); and (B) 25 percent to provide financial assistance to States in accordance with section 200305 of title 54, United States Code, which shall be considered income to the Land and Water Conservation Fund for purposes of section 200302 of that title. . (c) Allocation among Gulf producing States Section 105(b)(2) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (1) subparagraph (A)— (A) in clauses (i) and (ii), by inserting , as described in section 102(7)(A), Gulf producing State (B) in clause (i), by striking and (C) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (D) by adding at the end the following: (iii) the amount made available under subsection (a)(3)(A) from any lease entered into within the Eastern Planning Area, as described in section 102(6)(A)(i), shall be allocated to each Gulf producing State, as described in section 102(7), in amounts that are inversely proportional to the respective distances between the point on the coastline of each Gulf producing State, as described in section 102(7), that is closest to the geographic center of each historical lease site and the geographic center of the historical lease site, as determined by the Secretary. ; and (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking each fiscal year under subparagraph (A) described in section 102(7)(A) each fiscal year under clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A) (d) Limitation on amount of distributed qualified outer Continental Shelf revenues Section 105(f) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 Public Law 109–432 (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the total amount of qualified outer Continental Shelf revenues described in section 102(9)(A)(ii) that are made available under subsection (a)(2)(A) shall not exceed— (A) for fiscal year 2017, $500,000,000; (B) for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2025, $699,000,000; and (C) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2055, $999,000,000. . 105. National defense (a) National defense areas Nothing in this title or an amendment made by this title affects the authority of the Secretary of Defense, with the approval of the President, to designate national defense areas on the outer Continental Shelf pursuant to section 12(d) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1341(d) (b) Prohibition on conflicts with military operations No person may engage in any exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas on the outer Continental Shelf under a lease issued under this title that would conflict with any military operation, as determined in accordance with— (1) the agreement entitled Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior on Mutual Concerns on the Outer Continental Shelf (2) any revision or replacement of that agreement that is agreed to by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary after that date but before the date of issuance of the lease under which the exploration, development, or production is conducted. 106. Environmental impact statement requirement (a) In general For purposes of this title and in order to conduct lease sales in accordance with the lease sale schedule established by this title, the Secretary shall prepare a multisale environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4332 (b) Actions To be considered Notwithstanding section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4332 (1) shall not be required— (A) to identify nonleasing alternative courses of action; or (B) to analyze the environmental effects of any alternative courses of action; and (2) shall only be required— (A) to identify— (i) a preferred action for leasing; and (ii) not more than 1 alternative leasing proposal; and (B) to analyze the environmental effects and potential mitigation measures for the preferred action and alternative leasing proposal identified under subparagraph (A). 107. State authorization Prior to publishing the programmatic environmental impact statement relating to any Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, a State shall have the option to enter into the offshore oil and gas leasing and development program described in that Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program if— (1) the legislature of that State enacts a law approving entering into the program; and (2) that resolution is signed by the Governor of the State. 108. Air emissions from outer Continental Shelf activities Section 328 of the Clean Air Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7627 (1) in subsection (a), in the first sentence, by striking , and along the United States Gulf Coast off the State of Florida eastward of longitude 87 degrees and 30 minutes (2) in subsection (b), by inserting the United States Gulf Coast off the State of Florida, Mississippi, 109. Offshore certainty (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Harassment The term harassment 16 U.S.C. 1362 (2) Request for incidental harassment authorization The term request for incidental harassment authorization (3) Secretary The term Secretary (b) Requests for incidental harassment authorization The Secretary shall— (1) accept as adequate and complete a written request for incidental harassment authorization not later than 45 days after the date of submission of the request for incidental harassment authorization; or (2) provide to the requester, not later than 30 days after the date of submission of the request for incidental harassment authorization, a written notice of any additional information required to complete the request for incidental harassment authorization. (c) Action on submission of additional information (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), not later than 30 days after receipt of the additional information requested under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall provide the requestor a written determination as to whether the request for incidental harassment authorization is adequate and complete. (2) Reason for denial If the Secretary determines that the request for incidental harassment authorization is not adequate and complete, the request shall be considered to be denied and the Secretary shall include in the written determination provided under paragraph (1) an explanation of the reasons for the denial. (d) Failure To respond If the Secretary fails to respond to a request for incidental harassment authorization in accordance with an applicable deadline under subsection (b) or (c), the request for incidental harassment authorization shall be considered to be adequate and complete as of the date of the applicable deadline. (e) Treatment of complete requests for incidental harassment authorization Not later than 45 days after a request for incidental harassment authorization is considered to be adequate and complete under subsection (b)(1), (c)(1), or (d), the Secretary shall comply with the procedures required by section 101(a)(5)(D)(iii) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(D)(iii) (f) Coordination with Endangered Species Act of 1973 reviews (1) In general Issuance of an authorization for incidental taking by the Secretary under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(D) (A) considered to be— (i) an action likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species; or (ii) an action likely to result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat; or (B) subject to the requirements of section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1536 (2) Not a prohibited taking Any taking made in compliance with an authorization for incidental taking issued by the Secretary under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(D) 16 U.S.C. 1538(a)(1) 110. Continuous operations rule The Secretary shall amend the regulation issued under section 250.180 of title 30, Code of Federal Regulations, so that any requirement in that regulation for continuous operation is for a period of 365 days instead of 180 days. 111. GAO report on cumulative cost of regulation for offshore energy production The Comptroller General of the United States shall— (1) conduct more accurate estimates of the cost of complying with major Federal rules relating to offshore energy development and production activities on the outer Continental Shelf; and (2) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing the results of the estimates calculated under paragraph (1). II The Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Lease Sale Act 201. Lease sales in Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area, Cook Inlet Planning Area (a) Establishment of Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a planning area for purposes of conducting lease sales under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area (2) Definition of Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area The Secretary shall define the Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area as the area of the outer Continental Shelf (as defined in section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 (b) Lease sales Notwithstanding the schedule of lease sales in the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program (2017–2022), the Secretary shall conduct under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. (1) in the Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area, 1 lease sale in each of fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020; and (2) in the Cook Inlet Planning Area, 1 lease sale in each of fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020. 202. Lease terms of certain Chukchi and Beaufort leases (a) In general Section 8(b)(2) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1337(b)(2) (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking or (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ; ; or (3) by adding at the end the following: (C) in the case of an oil and gas lease in the Beaufort Planning Area or the portion of the Chukchi Planning Area that is beyond 3 nautical miles of the seaward boundary of the State of Alaska, 20 years; . (b) Extension of existing leases (1) In general The Secretary, with the consent of the holder of a covered lease described in paragraph (2), may extend the initial term of the covered lease to 20 years. (2) Description of covered lease (A) In general A covered lease referred to in paragraph (1) is a lease for oil and gas production in effect on the date of enactment of this Act that was issued under section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1337 (B) Exclusion A covered lease referred to in paragraph (1) does not include any lease in the Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area. 203. Distribution of revenue to Alaska Section 9 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1338 (1) by striking All rentals, (a) In general Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), all rentals, ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (b) Distribution of revenue to Alaska (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Coastal political subdivision The term coastal political subdivision (i) all or part of which lies within the coastal zone of the State (as defined in section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1453 (ii) (I) the closest coastal point of which is not more than 200 nautical miles from the geographical center of any leased tract in the Alaska outer Continental Shelf region; or (II) (aa) the closest point of which is more than 200 nautical miles from the geographical center of a leased tract in the Alaska outer Continental Shelf region; and (bb) that is determined by the State to be a significant staging area for oil and gas servicing, supply vessels, operations, suppliers, or workers. (B) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1002 (C) Qualified revenues (i) In general The term qualified revenues (ii) Exclusions The term qualified revenues (D) State The term State (E) Workforce investment board The term workforce investment board 29 U.S.C. 2811 et seq. (2) Fiscal years 2016–2026 For each of fiscal years 2016 through 2026, the Secretary shall deposit— (A) 75 percent of qualified revenues in the general fund of the Treasury; (B) 7.5 percent of qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury, to be distributed by the Secretary to the State; (C) 7.5 percent of qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury, to be distributed by the Secretary to coastal political subdivisions; (D) 2.5 percent of qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury, to be used to carry out the North Slope Science Initiative established under section 348(a)(1) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 15906(a)(1) (E) 2.5 percent of qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury, to be used by the Secretary to provide grants on a competitive basis to eligible institutions of higher education and workforce investment boards in the State to establish and providing funding for— (i) programs to ensure an adequately skilled workforce to construct, operate, or maintain oil or gas pipelines; or (ii) programs to ensure an adequately skilled workforce to operate, maintain, and perform all environmental processes relating to existing or future oil and gas infrastructure; (F) 2.5 percent of qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury to provide financial assistance for— (i) offshore leasing and development programs in the State; and (ii) the development of rights-of-way for pipelines to transport oil or gas produced offshore through land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary in the State; and (G) 2.5 percent of qualified revenues in the Tribal Resilience Fund established by section 402 of the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act of 2015 (3) Subsequent fiscal years For fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary shall deposit— (A) 50 percent of qualified revenues in general fund of the Treasury; (B) 30 percent of qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury, to be distributed by the Secretary to the State; (C) 12.5 percent of qualified revenues in the Tribal Resilience Fund established by section 402 of the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act of 2015 (D) 7.5 in a special account in the Treasury, to be distributed by the Secretary to coastal political subdivisions. (4) Allocation among coastal political subdivisions Of the amount paid by the Secretary to coastal political subdivisions under paragraph (2)(C) or (3)(D)— (A) 90 percent shall be allocated in amounts (based on a formula established by the Secretary by regulation) that are inversely proportional to the respective distances between the point in each coastal political subdivision that is closest to the geographic center of the applicable leased tract and not more than 200 miles from the geographic center of the leased tract; and (B) 10 percent shall be divided equally among each coastal political subdivision that— (i) is more than 200 nautical miles from the geographic center of a leased tract; and (ii) the State of Alaska determines to be a significant staging area for oil and gas servicing, supply vessels, operations, suppliers, or workers. (5) Timing The amounts required to be deposited under paragraphs (2) and (3) for the applicable fiscal year shall be made available in accordance with those paragraphs during the fiscal year immediately following the applicable fiscal year. (6) Administration Amounts made available under paragraphs (2) and (3) shall— (A) be made available, without further appropriation, in accordance with this subsection; (B) remain available until expended; and (C) be in addition to any amounts appropriated under any other provision of law. . 204. Inclusion of Beaufort, Nearshore Beaufort, Cook Inlet, and Chukchi lease sales in 5-year leasing programs Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1344 (i) Inclusion of certain lease sales Effective starting with the leasing program for fiscal years 2023 through 2027, the Secretary shall include in any leasing program prepared in accordance with this section provisions for the conduct of at least 3 lease sales in each of the Beaufort Planning Area and the Chukchi Planning Area, and annual lease sales in the Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area and the Cook Inlet Planning Area during the term of the leasing program. . 205. North Slope science initiative Section 348 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 15906 (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting (referred to in this section as the Secretary Secretary of the Interior (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting (including the Beaufort and Chukchi seas) North Slope of Alaska (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting (including the Beaufort and Chukchi seas) North Slope (B) in paragraph (2), by striking develop an understanding of identify (3) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting the Northwest Arctic Borough, the NANA Regional Corporation, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, III The Southern Atlantic Energy Security Act 301. Definitions In this title: (1) Director The term Director (2) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1002 (3) Qualified revenues The term qualified revenues 43 U.S.C. 1338(c)(1) (4) South Atlantic planning area The term South Atlantic planning area 43 U.S.C. 1331 (5) State The term State (A) Georgia. (B) North Carolina. (C) South Carolina. (D) Virginia. 302. Preserving coastal viewsheds (a) In general Prior to conducting a lease sale authorized under this title that would offer leases within 30 nautical miles of the coastline, the Secretary shall consult with the Governor of each potentially affected State to establish appropriate lease stipulations for the management of the surface occupancy of the areas between the coastline and 30 nautical miles to mitigate any potential concerns regarding impacts to coastal viewsheds. (b) Considerations for production facilities The Secretary and the State shall consider— (1) restricting the installation of permanent surface production facilities above the waterline for the purpose of production of oil or gas resources in any area that is within 12 nautical miles seaward from the coastline of the State; and (2) allowing only subsurface production facilities to be installed in areas that are located between the point that is 12 nautical miles from seaward from the coastline of the State and the point that is 30 nautical miles seaward from the coastline of the State. (c) Development and production plan approval If permanent surface facilities are proposed to be installed within 30 nautical miles of the coastline, the Secretary shall not grant approval of the development and production plan unless it is determined that the facility is designed so that the impacts on coastal viewsheds are minimized, to the maximum extent practicable. (d) Onshore access to leases not restricted Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, onshore facilities associated with the drilling, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the South Atlantic planning area within 12 nautical miles seaward of the coastline of a State are allowed. (e) Temporary activities not affected Nothing described in subsection (a), (b), or (c) restricts, or gives the States authority to restrict, temporary surface activities related to operations associated with outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leases. 303. 2017–2022 leasing program The Secretary shall— (1) include the South Atlantic planning area in the outer Continental Shelf leasing program for fiscal years 2017 through 2022 prepared under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1344 (2) conduct in the South Atlantic planning area— (A) 1 lease sale during fiscal year 2021; and (B) 2 lease sales during fiscal year 2022. 304. Balancing of military and energy production goals (a) In general In recognition that the outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program and the domestic energy resources produced under the program are integral to national security, the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense shall work jointly in implementing lease sales under this title— (1) to preserve the ability of the Armed Forces of the United States to maintain an optimum state of readiness through their continued use of the outer Continental Shelf; and (2) to allow effective exploration, development, and production of the oil, gas, and renewable energy resources of the United States. (b) Prohibition on conflicts with military operations No person may engage in any exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas on the outer Continental Shelf under a lease issued under this title that the President determines would conflict with any military operation, as determined in accordance with— (1) the agreement entitled Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior on Mutual Concerns on the Outer Continental Shelf (2) any revision or replacement for the agreement described in paragraph (1) that is agreed to by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary after that date but before the date of issuance of the lease under which the exploration, development, or production is conducted. 305. Disposition of revenues to Atlantic States Section 9 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1338 (c) Distribution of revenue to Atlantic States (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Atlantic State The term Atlantic State (B) Qualified revenues (i) In general The term qualified revenues (ii) Exclusions The term qualified revenues (2) Deposit For fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall deposit— (A) 62.5 percent of any qualified revenues in the general fund of the Treasury, of which— (i) 5 percent shall be allocated to the Department of Energy for projects that enhance the safety, security, resilience, and reliability of energy supply, research, transmission, storage, or distribution infrastructure; (ii) 5 percent shall be allocated to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program at the Department of Energy; and (iii) 2.5 percent shall be allocated to high priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service that support critical infrastructure and visitor services; and (B) 37.5 percent of any qualified revenues in a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse amounts to the Atlantic States in accordance with paragraph (3). (3) Allocation to States (A) In general Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), effective for fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the Treasury shall allocate the qualified revenues described in paragraph (2)(B) to each Atlantic State in amounts (based on a formula established by the Secretary, by regulation) that are inversely proportional to the respective distances between— (i) the point on the coastline of each Atlantic State that is closest to the geographical center of the applicable leased tract; and (ii) the geographical center of that leased tract. (B) Minimum allocation The amount allocated to an Atlantic State for each fiscal year under subparagraph (A) shall be not less than 10 percent of the amounts available under paragraph (2)(B). (C) State allocation Of the amounts received by a State under subparagraph (A), the Atlantic State may use, at the discretion of the Governor of the State— (i) 10 percent— (I) to enhance State land and water conservation efforts; (II) to improve State public transportation projects; (III) to establish alternative, renewable, and clean energy production and generation within each State; and (IV) to enhance beach nourishment and costal dredging; and (ii) 2.5 percent to enhance geological and geophysical education for the energy future of the United States in accordance with section 306 of the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act of 2015 . 306. Enhancing geological and geophysical education for America’s energy future (a) In general The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall partner with institutions of higher education selected under subsection (c) to facilitate the practical study of geological and geophysical sciences of areas on the Atlantic region of the outer Continental Shelf and elsewhere on the Continental Shelf of the United States. (b) Focus Activities conducted by institutions of higher education under this section shall focus all geological and geophysical scientific research on obtaining a better understanding of hydrocarbon potential in the South Atlantic planning area while fostering the study of the geological and geophysical sciences at institutions of higher education in the United States. (c) Selection of institutions (1) Selection Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Governor of each State may nominate for participation in a partnership— (A) 1 institution of higher education located in the State; and (B) 1 institution of higher education that is a historically Black college or university (as defined in section 631(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1132(a) (2) Preference In making nominations under paragraph (1), each Governor shall give preference to those institutions of higher education that— (A) demonstrate a vigorous rate of admissions of veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States; and (B) meet the criteria described in paragraph (3). (3) Criteria The Governor shall select as a partner any institution of higher education nominated under paragraph (1) that the Governor determines demonstrates excellence in 1 or more of the following criteria: (A) Geophysical sciences curriculum. (B) Engineering curriculum. (C) Information technology or other technical studies related to seismic research, including data processing. (d) Research authority (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), an institution of higher education selected under subsection (c)(3) may conduct research under this section on the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date on which the institution of higher education submits to the South Atlantic Regional Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management a notice of the research. (2) Permit required An institution of higher education may not conduct research under this section that uses any solid or liquid explosive, except as authorized by a permit issued by the Director. (e) Data (1) In general The geological and geophysical activities conducted under this section— (A) shall be considered to be scientific research and data produced by the activities; (B) shall not be used or shared for commercial purposes; (C) shall not be produced for proprietary use or sale; and (D) shall be made available by the Director to the public. (2) Submission of data to BOEM Not later than 60 days after completion of initial analysis of data collected under this section by an institution of higher education selected under subsection (c)(3), the institution of higher education shall share with the Director any data collected requested by the Director. (3) Fees The Director may not charge any fee for the provision of data produced in research under this section, other than a data reprocessing fee to pay the cost of duplicating the data. (f) Report Not less frequently than once every 180 days, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report on the data derived from partnerships under this section. 307. Atlantic regional office Not later than the last day of the outer Continental Shelf leasing program for fiscal years 2012 through 2017 prepared under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1344 (1) included in the outer Continental Shelf leasing program for fiscal years 2017 through 2022 prepared under section 18 of that Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1344 (2) determined by the Director to have the highest potential for resource development. IV Tribal Resilience Program 401. Tribal Resilience Program (a) Definition of Indian tribe In this section, the term Indian tribe Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 25 U.S.C. 450b (b) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a program— (1) to improve the resilience of Indian tribes to the effects of a changing climate; (2) to support Native American leaders in building strong, resilient communities; and (3) to ensure the development of modern, cost-effective infrastructure. (c) Grants Subject to the availability of appropriations and amounts in the Tribal Resilience Fund established by section 402(a), in carrying out the program described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall make adaptation grants, in amounts not to exceed $200,000,000 total per fiscal year, to Indian tribes for eligible activities described in subsection (d). (d) Eligible activities An Indian tribe receiving a grant under subsection (c) may only use grant funds for 1 or more of the following eligible activities: (1) Development and delivery of adaptation training. (2) Adaptation planning, vulnerability assessments, emergency preparedness planning, and monitoring. (3) Capacity building through travel support for training, technical sessions, and cooperative management forums. (4) Travel support for participation in ocean and coastal planning. (5) Development of science-based information and tools to enable adaptive resource management and the ability to plan for resilience. (6) Relocation of villages or other communities experiencing or susceptible to coastal or river erosion. (7) Construction of infrastructure to support emergency evacuations. (8) Restoration or repair of infrastructure damaged by melting permafrost or coastal or river erosion. (9) Installation and management of energy systems that reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions compared to the energy systems in use before that installation and management. (10) Construction and maintenance of social or cultural infrastructure that the Secretary determines supports resilience. (e) Applications An Indian tribe desiring an adaptation grant under subsection (c) shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of the eligible activities to be undertaken using the grant. (f) Capital projects Of amounts made available to carry out this program, not less than 90 percent shall be used for the engineering, design, and construction or implementation of capital projects. (g) Interagency cooperation The Secretary and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish under the White House Council on Native American Affairs an interagency subgroup on tribal resilience— (1) to work with Indian tribes to collect and share data and information, including traditional ecological knowledge, about how the effects of a changing climate are relevant to Indian tribes and Alaska Natives; and (2) to identify opportunities for the Federal Government to improve collaboration and assist with adaptation and mitigation efforts that promote resilience. (h) Tribal resilience liaison The Secretary shall establish a tribal resilience liaison— (1) to coordinate with Indian tribes and relevant Federal agencies; and (2) to help ensure tribal engagement in climate conversations at the Federal level. 402. Tribal Resilience Fund (a) Establishment There is established in the Treasury a fund, to be known as the Tribal Resilience Fund Fund (b) Deposits The Fund shall consist of the following: (1) Amounts made available through an appropriation Act for deposit in the Fund. (2) Amounts deposited into the Fund under paragraphs (2)(G) and (3)(C) of subsection (b) of section 9 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1338 (c) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general In addition to the amounts estimated by the Secretary to be deposited in the Fund under subsection (b), there are authorized to be appropriated annually to the Fund out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated such amounts as are necessary to make the income of the Fund not more than $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter. (2) Receipts under outer continental shelf lands act To the extent that amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) and deposited under subsection (b) are not sufficient to make the total annual income of the Fund equivalent to the amounts provided in paragraph (1), an amount sufficient to cover the remainder shall be credited to the Fund from revenues due and payable to the United States for deposit in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. (3) Availability of deposits (A) In general Amounts deposited in the Fund under this subsection shall remain available until expended, without fiscal year limitation. (B) Use Amounts deposited in the Fund under this subsection and made available for obligation or expenditure from the Fund may be obligated or expended only to carry out the Tribal Resilience Program under section 401. V Miscellaneous 501. Access to markets (a) In General Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to promote the efficient exploration, production, storage, supply, and distribution of energy resources, any domestic crude oil or condensate (other than crude oil stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) may be exported without a Federal license to countries not subject to sanctions by the United States. (b) Savings Clause Nothing in this section limits the authority of the President under the Constitution, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. 50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. 42 U.S.C. 6271 et seq. (c) Findings Congress finds that— (1) the United States has enjoyed a renaissance in energy production— (A) increasing domestic investment and jobs; and (B) establishing the United States as a world leader in crude oil production; (2) the United States upholds a commitment to free trade and open markets and has consistently opposed attempts by other nations to restrict the free flow of energy; (3) independent studies have concluded that allowing the export of domestically produced crude oil— (A) will increase the globally available supply of crude oil; and (B) will tend to reduce domestic prices for gasoline and other refined petroleum products in the United States; (4) gasoline and other refined petroleum products are already eligible for export from the United States without restriction; (5) gasoline prices in the United States reflect the price paid on the global market for crude oil and not a separate crude oil price in the United States; (6) exports of crude oil produced in the United States would provide an alternative stable supplier for crude oil to allies of the United States around the world— (A) allowing United States crude oil exports to compete on equal footing with other international crudes; (B) allowing United States crude oil exports to compete with and potentially displace crude oil exports from Iran, as potential easing of sanctions could lead to Iran regaining market share; (C) facilitating assistance to the countries of Europe and Eurasia to diversify their energy sources and achieve energy security by providing another option to protect against possible unstable supply flows; and (D) allowing the United States to use national energy policy to further United States interests abroad; and (7) the United States should remove all restrictions on the export of domestically produced crude oil or crude oil of any origin, which will increase economic benefits, enhance energy security, improve the trade deficit, and promote key national security interests of the United States domestically and around the world. (d) Exceptions and presidential authority (1) In general The President may impose export licensing requirements or other restrictions on the export of crude oil from the United States for a period of not more than 1 year, if— (A) the President declares a national emergency and formally notices the declaration of a national emergency in the Federal Register; (B) the export licensing requirements or other restrictions on the export of crude oil from the United States under this section apply to 1 or more countries, persons, or organizations in the context of sanctions or trade restrictions imposed by the United States for reasons of national security by the Executive authority of the President or by Congress; or (C) the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, finds and reports to the President that— (i) the export of crude oil pursuant to this section has caused sustained material oil supply shortages or sustained oil prices significantly above world market levels that are directly attributable to the export of crude oil produced in the United States; and (ii) those supply shortages or price increases have caused or are likely to cause sustained material adverse employment effects in the United States. (2) Renewal Any requirement or restriction imposed pursuant to paragraph (1) may be renewed for 1 or more additional periods of not more than 1 year each. (e) GAO review and report (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 2 years, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of— (A) energy production in the United States; and (B) the effects, if any, of crude oil exports from the United States on consumers, independent refiners, and shipbuilding and ship repair yards. (2) Contents of report Not later than 1 year after commencing each review under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, and Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that includes— (A) a statement of the principal findings of the review; and (B) recommendations for Congress and the President to address any job loss in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry or adverse impacts on consumers and refiners that the Comptroller General of the United States attributes to unencumbered crude oil exports in the United States. 502. Reports (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in which the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (referred to in this section as the BSEE Secretary (1) offshore oil and gas drilling, completions, workovers, and decommissioning, including the proposed rule entitled Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf—Blowout Preventer Systems and Well Control (2) exploratory drilling activities on the Arctic Continental Shelf of the United States, including the proposed rule entitled Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations on the Outer Continental Shelf—Requirements for Exploratory Drilling on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf (b) Contents of analysis The analysis under subsection (a) shall include— (1) a discussion of any new operational, management, design and construction, financial, and other mandates that would be imposed on contractors and operators; (2) an estimate of all associated direct and indirect operational, management, personnel, training, record keeping, and other costs; and (3) an identification and justification of improvements to safety claimed in the proposed regulation or rule. (c) Limitations With respect to the proposed regulations and rules described in subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall not— (1) issue any proposed, interim, or final regulation or rule earlier than 180 days after the submission of the report required by subsection (a); or (2) issue any final regulation or rule prior to issuing revised proposed regulations or rules that take into account the findings from the report and providing notice and an opportunity for public comment. September 9, 2015 Read twice and placed on the calendar

Summary: Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act of 2015 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to direct the Department of the Interior to make available for oil and natural gas leasing, and conduct lease sales, including sales of the available unleased acreage, within each outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning area in the Gulf of Mexico considered to have the largest undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources. Interior must also make available for leasing under each five-year oil and gas leasing program any OCS planning area in the Gulf of Mexico estimated to contain more than 2.5 billion barrels of oil or 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The bill also amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to: redefine "Military Mission Line" as the western border of the Eastern Planning Area in the Gulf of Mexico, and reduce the area subject to a moratorium on oil and gas leasing activities in the Eastern and Central Planning Areas off Florida. Interior shall implement the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program (FY2017-FY2022) in accordance with a specified schedule, and conduct lease sales in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico in accordance with another prescribed schedule for FY2018-FY2020. Florida shall be added, beginning in FY2017, to the list of Gulf producing states (currently Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas), and the areas containing leases from which qualified revenues are derived shall be expanded to include the Central and Western Planning Areas. The bill revises requirements for the distribution of qualified OCS revenues (all rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to the United States from leases). The bill increases, for FY2018-FY2055, the amount of qualified OCS revenues available for distribution to Gulf producing states. Oil or natural gas exploration, development, or production on the OCS under a federal lease that would conflict with a military operation are hereby prohibited. Before publishing the programmatic environmental impact statement relating to any Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, a state shall have the option to enter into the offshore oil and gas leasing and development program described in that proposed program in specified circumstances. The Clean Air Act is amended to repeal the requirement that the Environmental Protection Agency establish requirements to control air pollution from OCS sources located along the U.S. Gulf Coast off Florida to attain and maintain federal and state ambient air quality standards. The bill addresses the moratorium under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 on the taking and importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products, except under an incidental harassment authorization. The bill prescribes deadlines for consideration by Interior of any request for incidental harassment authorization by a U.S. citizen who engages in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specific geographic region. The bill extends the period of continuous operation of production under an oil, gas, or sulphur lease during which certain actions must be taken to renew the lease. The Government Accountability Office shall estimate the costs of complying with major federal rules relating to offshore energy development and production activities on the OCS. Interior shall establish a Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area in the OCS within three nautical miles of the seaward boundary of Alaska, and conduct one oil and gas lease sale under the OCSLA in specified areas. Oil and gas leases under the OCSLA shall have an initial 20-year lease period if they are located in the portion of the Beaufort Planning Area or Chukchi Planning Area beyond three nautical miles of the seaward boundary of Alaska. The OCSLA is amended to establish a scheme for revenue allocation between Treasury and the state of Alaska for specified purposes. Interior shall include in any leasing program for FY2023-FY2027 at least three lease sales in each of the Beaufort Planning Area and the Chukchi Planning Area, as well as annual lease sales in the Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area and the Cook Inlet Planning Area. Before conducting a lease sale that would offer leases within 30 nautical miles of the coastline, Interior shall consult with the governor of each potentially affected state. Interior shall include the South Atlantic planning area in the OCS leasing program for FY2017-FY2022. No person may engage in any exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas on the OCS under a lease issued under this title that would conflict with any military operation, as determined in accordance with a specified agreement between Interior and the Department of Defense. The OCSLA is amended to direct Interior to deposit certain portions of qualified revenues into the general fund of the Treasury and into a special Treasury account for allocation for specified purposes to states adjacent to the South Atlantic Planning Area. Acting through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior shall partner with certain institutions of higher education to facilitate the study of geological and geophysical sciences on the Atlantic OCS and elsewhere on the U.S. Continental Shelf. The BOEM Director shall establish an Atlantic regional office in an area of the OCS leasing program with the highest potential for resource development. Interior shall establish a grant program for specified activities to improve the resilience of Indian tribes to specified challenges. The bill establishes the Tribal Resilience Fund. Specified domestic crude oil or condensate may be exported without a federal license to countries not subject to U.S. sanctions, but subject to export licensing requirements or other restrictions in the event of a national emergency or national security. The department in which the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is operating shall analyze certain proposed BSEE regulations and rules relating to offshore oil and gas operations and exploratory drilling activities on the U.S. Arctic Continental Shelf.