I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2261 
To improve the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion, the Coast Guard, and coastal States to sustain healthy ocean 
and coastal ecosystems by maintaining and sustaining their capabilities 
relating to oil spill preparedness, prevention, response, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2017 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself and Mr. BUCHANAN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Re-
sources, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, the Coast Guard, and coastal 
States to sustain healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems 
by maintaining and sustaining their capabilities relating 
to oil spill preparedness, prevention, response, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Marine Oil Spill Prevention Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—IMPROVING MARINE OIL SPILL PREVENTION 
CAPABILITIES 
Sec. 101. Coordination between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion, Coast Guard, and Department of the Interior on oil spill 
matters. 
Sec. 102. Strengthening coastal State oil spill planning and response. 
Sec. 103. Moratorium on commercial industrial activity in certain areas of Gulf 
of Mexico. 
Sec. 104. Coast Guard inspections. 
Sec. 105. Navigational measures for protection of natural resources. 
Sec. 106. Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. 
Sec. 107. Vessel as responsible party. 
Sec. 108. Transportation and commerce aspects of outer Continental Shelf 
lands. 
TITLE II—IMPROVING MARINE OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS 
Sec. 201. Improvements to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
oil spill response, containment, and prevention. 
Sec. 202. Coast Guard response plan requirements. 
Sec. 203. Oil spill technology evaluation. 
Sec. 204. Safety management system requirements for mobile offshore drilling 
units. 
Sec. 205. Gulf of Mexico long-term marine environmental monitoring and re-
search program. 
Sec. 206. Use of oil spill liability trust fund for expenses of National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
Sec. 207. Notice to States of bulk oil transfers. 
Sec. 208. Coast Guard research and development. 
TITLE III—IMPROVING MARINE OIL SPILL RESPONSE 
CAPABILITIES 
Sec. 301. Prompt publication of oil spill information. 
Sec. 302. Coordination of Federal, State, and local activities with respect to oil 
spill surveys. 
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TITLE 
I—IMPROVING 
MARINE 
OIL SPILL PREVENTION CA-
PABILITIES 
SEC. 101. COORDINATION BETWEEN NATIONAL OCEANIC 
AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, COAST 
GUARD, AND DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
ON OIL SPILL MATTERS. 
(a) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LEASING PRO-
GRAM.—Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘from 
any interested Federal agency, including the 
Attorney General’’ and inserting ‘‘from the 
head of any interested Federal department or 
agency, including the Secretary of Commerce, 
the Secretary of the department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating, and the Attorney 
General’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Within 
nine months after the date of enactment of this 
section the Secretary shall submit a proposed 
leasing program to the Congress, the Attorney 
General,’’ and inserting ‘‘The Secretary shall 
submit any proposed leasing program to the 
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Congress, the head of each interested Federal 
department or agency described in paragraph 
(1), the Attorney General,’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘pro-
posed leasing program,’’ in the first sentence 
and all that follows through the end of the 
paragraph and inserting ‘‘proposed leasing pro-
gram— 
‘‘(A) the Attorney General, after consulta-
tion with the Federal Trade Commission, may 
submit comments on the anticipated effects of 
the proposed program on competition; 
‘‘(B) the Secretary of Commerce may sub-
mit comments on the anticipated effects of the 
proposed program on the human, marine, and 
coastal environments, including the likelihood of 
occurrence and potential severity of spills and 
chronic pollution; 
‘‘(C) the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating may submit 
comments on the adequacy of the response ca-
pabilities of the Federal Government for spills 
and chronic pollution that may occur as a result 
of the proposed program; and 
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‘‘(D) any State, local government, or other 
person may submit comments and recommenda-
tions as to any aspect of the proposed pro-
gram.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Attor-
ney General’’ and inserting ‘‘Attorney General, 
the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of 
the department in which the Coast Guard is op-
erating,’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or after 
eighteen months following the date of enact-
ment of this section, whichever first occurs,’’; 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘He’’ and in-
serting ‘‘The Secretary’’; and 
(4) in subsection (h)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘nonpriviledged’’ and in-
serting ‘‘nonprivileged’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘he requests to assist him’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the Secretary request to assist 
the Secretary’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘he requests to assist him’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the Secretary requests to assist 
the Secretary’’. 
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