I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10490 
To amend the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 to improve community outreach, 
public participation, and the consideration of community and environ-
mental impacts with respect to the issuance of a license under that 
Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 18, 2024 
Mr. HUFFMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 to improve com-
munity outreach, public participation, and the consider-
ation of community and environmental impacts with re-
spect to the issuance of a license under that Act, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nautical Oversight, 
Safety, and Protection of Inflammable Liquids by Law in 
the Sea Act of 2024’’ or the ‘‘NO SPILLS Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 3 of the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 
U.S.C. 1502) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (5), in the first sentence, by 
striking ‘‘including waters’’ and inserting ‘‘(includ-
ing waters’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (10), (11), and 
(12) through (19) as paragraphs (13), (16), and 
(18) through (25), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(10) ENVIRONMENT.—The term ‘environment’ 
includes— 
‘‘(A) water, air, and land; and 
‘‘(B) the interrelationship that exists 
among and between water, air, and land and all 
present and future generations of living beings. 
‘‘(11) 
ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
COMMU-
NITY.—The term ‘environmental justice community’ 
means a community with significant representation 
of communities of color, low-income communities, or 
Tribal and Indigenous communities, that experi-
ences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or more 
adverse human health or environmental effects. 
‘‘(12) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; PROTEC-
TION OF THE ENVIRONMENT.—The terms ‘environ-
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mental protection’ and ‘protection of the environ-
ment’ mean wide-ranging measures to prevent or 
mitigate negative impacts to the environment, in-
cluding the preservation of ocean ecosystems and the 
mitigation of air pollutants.’’; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (13) (as so re-
designated) the following: 
‘‘(14) IMPACTED COMMUNITY.—The term ‘im-
pacted community’ means— 
‘‘(A) residents of an adjacent coastal State 
who may be impacted, including through eco-
logical harm, economic disruption, or social dis-
placement, by— 
‘‘(i) the permitting of a deepwater 
port; or 
‘‘(ii) a spill, leak, or other disaster at 
a deepwater port; and 
‘‘(B) workers who may be impacted, and 
labor organizations and worker advocacy orga-
nizations representing workers who may be im-
pacted, by— 
‘‘(i) the permitting of a deepwater 
port; or 
‘‘(ii) a spill, leak, or other disaster at 
a deepwater port. 
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‘‘(15) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian Tribe’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).’’; and 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (16) (as so re-
designated) the following: 
‘‘(17) LOW-INCOME
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘low-income community’ means a census block group 
in which 30 percent or more of the population are 
individuals with an annual household income equal 
to, or less than, the greater of— 
‘‘(A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the 
median income of the area in which the house-
hold is located, as reported by the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development; and 
‘‘(B) 200 percent of the Federal poverty 
line.’’. 
SEC. 3. CONDITIONS FOR ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE FOR 
THE OWNERSHIP, CONSTRUCTION, AND OP-
ERATION OF A DEEPWATER PORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4(c) of the Deepwater 
Port Act of 1974 (33 U.S.C. 1503(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and environ-
mental quality’’ and inserting ‘‘, protection of the 
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environment, and protection of environmental justice 
communities and impacted communities’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘State’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘approves’’ and inserting 
‘‘State, and the governing body of each Indian 
Tribe, within which there are impacted communities, 
approves’’. 
(b) LIMITS ON LIABILITY.—Section 1004(a) of the 
Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2704(a)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(C)— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) in subclause (I), by striking 
‘‘$22,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$70,000,000’’; and 
(ii) in subclause (II), by striking 
‘‘$16,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$60,000,000’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii)— 
(i) in subclause (I), by striking 
‘‘$6,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$32,000,000’’; and 
(ii) in subclause (II), by striking 
‘‘$4,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$26,000,000’’; and 
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(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$950’’ and inserting 
‘‘$4,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘$800,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$2,000,000’’. 
(c) FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 
Section 1016(c)(1) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 
U.S.C. 2716(c)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) 
in 
clause 
(i), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$35,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$105,000,000’’; 
and 
(B) 
in 
clause 
(ii), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$10,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$70,000,000’’; 
and 
(2) 
in 
subparagraph 
(C), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$150,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$300,000,000’’. 
SEC. 4. OUTREACH TO IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC 
COMMENT, AND PUBLIC HEARINGS. 
Section 5(g) of the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 
U.S.C. 1504(g)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(g) A license’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(g) OUTREACH, PUBLIC NOTICE, PUBLIC COM-
MENT, AND PUBLIC HEARINGS.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A license’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1) (as so designated)— 
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘pub-
lic notice and public hearings’’ and inserting 
‘‘public notice, comment, and hearings’’; and 
(B) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘At 
least’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall conduct 
active and ongoing outreach to impacted commu-
nities, especially those that are also environmental 
justice communities, including through representa-
tive civil, business, environmental, neighborhood, 
health, education, labor, and other organizations. 
‘‘(3) PUBLIC
NOTICE, COMMENT, AND
HEAR-
INGS.— 
‘‘(A) NOTICE.—Notice of a public com-
ment period or public hearing shall be provided 
through multiple communication methods acces-
sible to an impacted community, which may in-
clude— 
‘‘(i) electronic media; 
‘‘(ii) newspapers; 
‘‘(iii) radio; 
‘‘(iv) direct mailings; 
‘‘(v) canvassing; and 
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‘‘(vi) other outreach methods particu-
larly targeted at environmental justice 
communities. 
‘‘(B) PUBLIC
COMMENT
PERIODS.—All 
public comment periods associated with a pro-
posed deepwater port project shall be 90 days 
or longer. 
‘‘(C) PUBLIC HEARINGS.— 
‘‘(i) NOTICE.—Notice of a public 
hearing shall be provided at least 30 days 
before the date of the hearing. 
‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENT.—At least’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3) (as so designated)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C) (as so des-
ignated)— 
(i) in clause (ii) (as so designated), in 
the second sentence, by striking ‘‘Any in-
terested’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(iii) 
PARTICIPATION.—Any 
inter-
ested’’; 
(ii) in clause (iii) (as so designated), 
in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘After 
hearings in each adjacent coastal State’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(iv) ADJUDICATORY HEARING.— 
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‘‘(I) IN
GENERAL.—After all 
hearings under clause (ii)’’; 
(iii) in clause (iv) (as so designated)— 
(I) in subclause (I) (as so des-
ignated), in the second sentence, by 
striking ‘‘The record’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(II) USE
OF
RECORD.—The 
record’’; and 
(II) in subclause (II) (as so des-
ignated), in the second sentence, by 
striking ‘‘Hearings held’’ and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(v) CONSOLIDATION OF HEARINGS.— 
‘‘(I) INTERAGENCY
CONSOLIDA-
TION.—Hearings held’’; and 
(iv) in clause (v)(I) (as so designated), 
in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘All 
public’’ and inserting the following: 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL INTEREST DETERMINATION. 
Section 5(i)(3) of the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 
(33 U.S.C. 1504(i)(3)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and 
(D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and 
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(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) Public opinion and the impact of the 
proposed deepwater port on impacted commu-
nities and, especially, environmental justice 
communities, as determined through public 
comment and hearings under subsection (g).’’. 
SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW CRITERIA. 
Section 6 of the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 
U.S.C. 1505) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘recre-
ation,’’ after ‘‘fishing,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (6)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘, safety,’’ after 
‘‘health’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(C) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(1) 
through (5), (6), and (7) as subparagraphs (A) 
through (E), (G), and (N), respectively, and in-
denting appropriately; 
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (E) 
(as so redesignated) the following: 
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‘‘(F) the effect on air quality from all ac-
tivities related to operation and construction of 
the deepwater port;’’; 
(E) by inserting after subparagraph (G) 
(as so redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(H) the health and climate impact on— 
‘‘(i) impacted communities; and 
‘‘(ii) environmental justice commu-
nities nationwide; 
‘‘(I) the effect on— 
‘‘(i) national policy goals; and 
‘‘(ii) the commitment of the United 
States to transition away from fossil fuels 
to clean renewable energy; 
‘‘(J) the effect on threatened and endan-
gered species, their critical habitat, and their 
ability to adapt to a changing environment; 
‘‘(K) compliance with the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), 
the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and 
the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.); 
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‘‘(L) the effect of all upstream and down-
stream activities on all outcomes described in 
subparagraphs (A) through (K); 
‘‘(M) the cumulative effect, on all outcomes 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (K), of 
all activities relating to the deepwater port com-
bined with the cumulative effect of all activities 
relating to all deepwater ports proposed, under 
construction, or operating in the same geo-
graphic region; and’’; 
(F) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘Act. Such 
criteria’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); 
‘‘(2) USE
OF
CRITERIA.—The criteria estab-
lished pursuant to paragraph (1)’’; and 
(G) in the matter preceding paragraph (2) 
(as so designated), by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of the NO SPILLS Act 
of 2024, the Secretary, in consultation with the Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, and any other Federal 
departments or agencies having jurisdiction over any 
aspect of the construction or operation of a deep-
water port, shall update the criteria established pur-
suant to subsection (a).’’. 
SEC. 7. PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATE-
MENT. 
The Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 U.S.C. 1501 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 6 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 7. PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATE-
MENT FOR PROJECTS IN THE GULF OF MEX-
ICO. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION
OF
PROGRAMMATIC
ENVIRON-
MENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.—The term ‘programmatic 
environmental impact statement’ means an environmental 
impact statement (as defined in section 111 of the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4336e)) that is a programmatic environmental document 
(as defined in that section). 
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‘‘(b) PROGRAMMATIC EIS FOR THE GULF OF MEX-
ICO.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the NO SPILLS Act of 2024, the Secretary shall pre-
pare, in accordance with the National Environmental Pol-
icy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and this Act, 
a programmatic environmental impact statement to assess 
the impacts, including with respect to climate change, of 
all deepwater port projects in the Gulf of Mexico proposed, 
pending, or approved on or after the date of enactment 
of the NO SPILLS Act of 2024. 
‘‘(c) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, beginning on the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary may not issue a license or permit for 
a new deepwater port under this or any other Act until 
the date on which the programmatic environmental impact 
statement required under subsection (b) is completed. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out this section.’’. 
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS RE-
SEARCH IN MARITIME ENVIRONMENTAL AND 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
Section 50307 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(f) PROHIBITION OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS RE-
SEARCH.—No funds made available under this section 
may be used for liquefied natural gas research.’’. 
Æ 
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