664 
‘‘(viii) evidence that the lessee has se-
cured an adequate bond, surety, or other 
financial arrangement prior to commence-
ment of any surface disturbing activity; 
‘‘(ix) a plan that details the complete 
and timely reclamation of the lease tract; 
and 
‘‘(x) such other relevant information 
as the Secretary may by regulation require. 
‘‘(F) Upon a determination that the explo-
ration plan is complete, the Secretary shall have 
30 days from the date the plan is deemed com-
plete to conduct a review of the plan. 
‘‘(G) If the Secretary finds the exploration 
plan is not consistent with all statutory and 
regulatory requirements in effect on the date of 
issuance of the lease, the Secretary shall notify 
the lessee with a detailed explanation of such 
modifications of the exploration plan as are nec-
essary to achieve compliance. 
‘‘(H) The lessee shall not take any action 
under the exploration plan within a 30 day re-
view period, or thereafter until the plan has 
been modified to achieve compliance as so noti-
fied.
665 
‘‘(I) After review by the Secretary provided 
by this subsection, a lessee may operate pursu-
ant to the plan without further review or ap-
proval by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) PLAN
REVISIONS; CONDUCT
OF
EXPLO-
RATION ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(A) If a significant revision of an explo-
ration plan under this subsection is submitted 
to the Secretary, the process to be used for the 
review of such revision shall be the same as set 
forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection. 
‘‘(B) All exploration activities pursuant to 
any lease shall be conducted in accordance with 
an exploration plan that has been submitted to 
and reviewed by the Secretary or a revision of 
such plan. 
‘‘(4) SUBMISSION OF DEVELOPMENT AND PRO-
DUCTION
PLAN; COMPLETENESS
REVIEW; COMPLI-
ANCE REVIEW.— 
‘‘(A) Prior to beginning oil and gas devel-
opment and production activities, a lessee shall 
submit a development and exploration plan to 
the Secretary of the Interior. Upon submission, 
such plans shall be subject to a review for com-
pleteness.
666 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall review the plan 
for completeness within 30 days of submission. 
‘‘(C) In the event a development and pro-
duction plan is determined to be incomplete, the 
Secretary shall notify the lessee in writing and 
specify the items or information needed to com-
plete the plan. 
‘‘(D) The Secretary shall have 30 days to 
review for completeness any modified develop-
ment and production plan submitted by the les-
see. 
‘‘(E) To be deemed complete, a develop-
ment and production plan shall include, in the 
degree of detail to be determined by the Sec-
retary by rule or regulation— 
‘‘(i) a drilling plan containing a de-
scription of the drilling program; 
‘‘(ii) the surface and projected com-
pletion zone location; 
‘‘(iii) pertinent geologic data; 
‘‘(iv) expected hazards, and proposed 
mitigation measures to address such haz-
ards; 
‘‘(v) a statement describing all facili-
ties and operations proposed by the lessee
667 
and known by the lessee (whether or not 
owned or operated by such lessee) that 
shall be constructed or utilized in the de-
velopment and production of oil or gas 
from the leases areas, including the loca-
tion and site of such facilities and oper-
ations, the land, labor, material, and en-
ergy requirements associated with such fa-
cilities and operations; 
‘‘(vi) the general work to be per-
formed; 
‘‘(vii) the environmental safeguards to 
be implemented in connection with the de-
velopment and production and how such 
safeguards are to be implemented; 
‘‘(viii) all safety standards to be met 
and how such standards are to be met; 
‘‘(ix) an expected rate of development 
and production and a time schedule for 
performance; 
‘‘(x) a certification from the lessee 
stating that the development and produc-
tion plan complies with all lease, regu-
latory, and statutory requirements in effect 
on the date of issuance of the lease;
668 
‘‘(xi) evidence that the lessee has se-
cured an adequate bond, surety, or other 
financial arrangement prior to commence-
ment of any surface disturbing activity; 
‘‘(xii) a plan that details the complete 
and timely reclamation of the lease tract; 
and 
‘‘(xiii) such other relevant information 
as the Secretary may by regulation require. 
‘‘(F) Upon a determination that the devel-
opment and production plan is complete, the 
Secretary shall have 120 days from the date the 
plan is deemed complete to conduct a review of 
the plan. 
‘‘(G) If the Secretary finds the develop-
ment and production plan is not consistent with 
all statutory and regulatory requirements in ef-
fect on the date of issuance of the lease, the 
Secretary shall notify the lessee with a detailed 
explanation of such modifications of the devel-
opment and production plan as are necessary to 
achieve compliance. 
‘‘(H) The lessee shall not take any action 
under the development and production plan 
within a 120 day review period, or thereafter
669 
until the plan has been modified to achieve 
compliance as so notified. 
‘‘(5) PLAN REVISIONS; CONDUCT OF DEVELOP-
MENT AND PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(A) If a significant revision of a develop-
ment and production plan under this subsection 
is submitted to the Secretary, the process to be 
used for the review of such revision shall be the 
same as set forth in paragraph (4) of this sub-
section. 
‘‘(B) All development and production ac-
tivities pursuant to any lease shall be conducted 
in accordance with an exploration plan that has 
been submitted to and reviewed by the Sec-
retary or a revision of such plan. 
‘‘(6) CANCELLATION OF LEASE ON FAILURE TO 
SUBMIT PLAN OR COMPLY WITH APPROVED PLAN.— 
Whenever the owner of any lease fails to submit a 
plan in accordance with regulations issued under 
this section, or fails to comply with a plan, the lease 
may be canceled in accordance with section 31. Ter-
mination of a lease because of failure to comply with 
a plan, including required modifications or revisions, 
shall not entitle a lessee to any compensation.’’.
670 
SEC. 6520. MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE. 
The bureau known as the ‘‘Minerals Management 
Service’’ in the Department of the Interior shall be known 
as the ‘‘National Ocean Energy and Royalty Service’’. The 
Director of such shall be assisted by only one deputy direc-
tor, who shall be a non-career employee within the Senior 
Executive Service. 
SEC. 6521. AUTHORITY TO USE DECOMMISSIONED OFF-
SHORE 
OIL 
AND 
GAS 
PLATFORMS 
AND 
OTHER FACILITIES FOR MARICULTURE, ARTI-
FICIAL REEF, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, OR 
OTHER USES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Rigs to Reefs Act of 2005’’. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—The Outer Continental Shelf 
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) is amended by insert-
ing after section 9 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 10. USE OF DECOMMISSIONED OFFSHORE OIL AND 
GAS PLATFORMS AND OTHER FACILITIES 
FOR MARICULTURE, ARTIFICIAL REEF, SCI-
ENTIFIC RESEARCH, OR OTHER USES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall issue regula-
tions under which the Secretary may authorize use of an 
offshore oil and gas platform or other facility that is de-
commissioned from service for oil and gas purposes for
671 
culture of marine organisms, an artificial reef, scientific 
research, or any other use authorized under section 8(p). 
‘‘(b) TRANSFER
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary 
shall not allow the transfer of a decommissioned offshore 
oil and gas platform or other facility to another person 
unless the Secretary is satisfied that the transferee is suf-
ficiently bonded, endowed, or otherwise financially able to 
fulfill its obligations, including but not limited to— 
‘‘(1) ongoing maintenance of the platform or 
other facility; 
‘‘(2) any liability obligations that might arise; 
‘‘(3) removal of the platform or other facility if 
determined necessary by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(4) any other requirements and obligations 
that the Secretary may deem appropriate by regula-
tion. 
‘‘(c) PLUGGING
AND
ABANDONMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that obligations of a lessee regarding 
the plugging and abandonment of wells are unaffected by 
implementation of this section. 
‘‘(d) POTENTIAL TO PETITION TO OPT-OUT OF REG-
ULATIONS.—An Adjacent State acting through a resolu-
tion of its legislature, with concurrence of its Governor, 
may petition to opt-out of the application of regulations 
promulgated under this section to platforms and other fa-
672 
cilities located in the area of its Adjacent Zone within 25 
miles of the coastline. The Secretary is authorized to ex-
cept such area from the application of such regulations, 
and shall approve such petition, unless the Secretary finds 
that approving the petition would probably cause serious 
harm or damage to the marine resources of the State’s 
Adjacent Zone. Prior to acting on the petition, the Sec-
retary shall complete an environmental assessment that 
documents the anticipated environmental effects of ap-
proving the petition. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON LIABILITY.—A person that had 
used an offshore oil and gas platform or other facility for 
oil and gas purposes and that no longer has any ownership 
or control of the platform or other facility shall not be 
liable under Federal law for any costs or damages arising 
from such platform or other facility after the date the plat-
form or other facility is used for any purpose under sub-
section (a), unless such costs or damages arise from— 
‘‘(1) use of the platform or other facility by the 
person for development or production of oil or gas; 
or 
‘‘(2) another act or omission of the person. 
‘‘(f) OTHER LEASING AND USE NOT AFFECTED.— 
This section, and the use of any offshore oil and gas plat-
673 
form or other facility for any purpose under subsection 
(a), shall not affect— 
‘‘(1) the authority of the Secretary to lease any 
area under this Act; or 
‘‘(2) any activity otherwise authorized under 
this Act.’’. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of 
the Interior shall issue regulations under subsection (b) 
by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(d) STUDY AND REPORT ON EFFECTS OF REMOVAL 
OF PLATFORMS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, 
in consultation with other Federal agencies as the Sec-
retary deems advisable, shall study and report to the Con-
gress regarding how the removal of offshore oil and gas 
platforms and other facilities from the outer Continental 
Shelf would affect existing fish stocks and coral popu-
lations. 
SEC. 6522. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT COM-
PREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF OCS OIL AND 
NATURAL GAS RESOURCES. 
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109– 
58) is amended—
674 
(1) by repealing section 357 (119 Stat. 720; 42 
U.S.C. 15912); and 
(2) in the table of contents in section 1(b), by 
striking the item relating to such section 357. 
SEC. 6523. MINING AND PETROLEUM SCHOOLS. 
(a) FEDERAL ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND.— 
(1) PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
FUND.— 
There is established in the Treasury a separate ac-
count to be known as the ‘‘Federal Energy And 
Mineral Resources Professional Development Fund’’ 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Professional De-
velopment Fund’’). 
(2) FUNDING.—The Secretary of the Treasury 
shall deposit in the Professional Development 
Fund— 
(A) such sums as are provided by sections 
9(b)(4)(A)(iii), 9(b)(4)(B)(iii), 9(c)(4)(A)(iii), 
and 9(c)(4)(B)(iii) of the Outer Continental 
Shelf Lands Act, as amended by this Act; 
(B)(i) during the period of October 1, 
2006, through September 30, 2015, 0.4 percent 
of all sums paid into the Treasury under sec-
tion 35 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
191), and