122 
(c) NO PREJUDICE.—This section shall not be inter-
preted to prejudice any other rights that the lessee would 
have in the absence of this section. 
SEC. 345. OFFSITE ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any per-
son conducting activities under the Mineral Leasing Act 
(30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Geothermal Steam Act (30 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), the Mineral Leasing Act for Ac-
quired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), the Weeks Act (16 
U.S.C. 552 et seq.), the General Mining Act of 1872 (30 
U.S.C. 22 et seq.), the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 
601 et seq.), or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), may in satisfying any mitigation 
requirements associated with such activities propose miti-
gation measures on a site away from the area impacted 
and the Secretary of the Interior shall accept these pro-
posed measures if the Secretary finds that they generally 
achieve the purposes for which mitigation measures apper-
tained. 
SEC. 346. MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE. 
The bureau known as the ‘‘Minerals Management 
Service’’ in the Department of the Interior shall be known 
as the ‘‘National Ocean Resources and Royalty Service’’. 
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SEC. 347. AUTHORITY TO USE DECOMMISSIONED OFF-
SHORE 
OIL 
AND 
GAS 
PLATFORMS 
AND 
OTHER FACILITIES FOR ARTIFICIAL REEF, 
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, OR OTHER USES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Rigs to Reefs Act of 2008’’. 
(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 
ARTIFICIAL 
REEF, 
SCIENTIFIC 
RE-
SEARCH, 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 
an artificial reef, scientific research, or any other use au-
thorized under section 8(p) or any other applicable Fed-
eral law. 
‘‘(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— 
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‘‘(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 plugging and abandonment of 
wells is accomplished at an appropriate time. 
‘‘(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 preliminarily petition to opt-out of the application of 
regulations promulgated under this section to platforms 
and other facilities located in the area of its Adjacent Zone 
within 12 miles of the coastline. Upon receipt of the pre-
liminary petition, the Secretary shall complete an environ-
mental assessment that documents the anticipated envi-
ronmental effects of approving the petition. The Secretary 
shall provide the environmental assessment to the State, 
which then has the choice of no action or confirming its 
petition by further action of its legislature, with the con-
currence of its Governor. The Secretary is authorized to 
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except such area from the application of such regulations, 
and shall approve any confirmed 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-
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) 
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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. 348. 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— 
(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. 349. LEASES FOR AREAS LOCATED WITHIN 100 MILES 
OF CALIFORNIA OR FLORIDA. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION TO CANCEL AND EXCHANGE 
CERTAIN EXISTING OIL AND GAS LEASES; PROHIBITION 
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