accompanying information available to the 
public by electronic means, including on 
the official public internet site of the De-
partment of the Interior. 
‘‘(iv) 
INTERNATIONAL
AGREE-
MENTS.—This subparagraph shall be ap-
plied in a manner consistent with United 
States 
obligations 
under 
international 
agreements. 
‘‘(v) DEFINITION
OF
PRODUCED
IN 
THE
UNITED
STATES.—In this subpara-
graph, the term ‘produced in the United 
States’ means, in the case of iron or steel 
products, that all manufacturing processes, 
from the initial melting stage through the 
application of coatings, occurred in the 
United States.’’; 
(4) by amending paragraph (7) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(7) COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.— 
‘‘(A) STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.— 
The Secretary shall provide for coordination 
and consultation with the Governor of any 
State or the executive of any local government 
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that may be affected by a lease, easement, or 
right-of-way under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) TRIBAL CONSULTATION.— 
‘‘(i) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary 
shall conduct meaningful and timely con-
sultation with Indian Tribes (following the 
procedures of Executive Order 13175 (25 
U.S.C. 5301 note), the President’s Memo-
randum of Uniform Standards for Tribal 
Consultation, issued on November 30, 
2022, or any subsequent order) before un-
dertaking any activities under this sub-
section, including holding a lease sale, that 
may have a direct, indirect, or cumulative 
impact on— 
‘‘(I) the land, including allotted, 
ceded, or traditional land, or interests 
in such land of an Indian Tribe or 
member of an Indian Tribe; 
‘‘(II) Tribal land, cultural prac-
tices, resources, or access to tradi-
tional areas of cultural or religious 
importance; 
‘‘(III) any part of any Federal 
land that shares a border with Indian 
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country, as such term is defined in 
section 1151 of title 18, United States 
Code; 
‘‘(IV) the protected rights of an 
Indian Tribe, whether or not such 
rights are enumerated in a treaty, in-
cluding water, hunting, gathering, and 
fishing rights; 
‘‘(V) the ability of an Indian 
Tribe to govern or provide services to 
members of the Indian Tribe; 
‘‘(VI) the relationship between 
the Federal Government and an In-
dian Tribe; or 
‘‘(VII) the trust responsibility of 
the Federal Government to an Indian 
Tribe. 
‘‘(ii) CONFIDENTIAL
AND
SENSITIVE 
INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(I) 
CLOSED
MEETING.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of 
law, at the request of the applicable 
Indian Tribe or Tribal government, 
any Tribal consultation process con-
ducted for the purpose of carrying out 
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this subparagraph shall be closed to 
the public. 
‘‘(II) 
TREATMENT
OF
DES-
IGNATED
INFORMATION.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, 
during a Tribal consultation process 
conducted for the purpose of carrying 
out this subparagraph, if the applica-
ble Indian Tribe or Tribal government 
designates any information, such as 
the location of a sacred site or other 
detail of a cultural or religious prac-
tice, as sensitive, that information 
shall be protected by law as confiden-
tial and withheld from any public dis-
closure or publication made as part of 
such Tribal consultation process or in 
any other process of carrying out this 
Act. 
‘‘(III) ACCESS
TO
DESIGNATED 
INFORMATION.—If information has 
been designated as sensitive under 
subclause (II), the Secretary shall de-
termine, in consultation with the ap-
plicable Indian Tribe or Tribal gov-
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ernment, who may have access to the 
information for the purposes of car-
rying out this Act.’’; 
(5) by amending paragraph (10) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(10) APPLICABILITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—This subsection does 
not apply to any area on the outer Continental 
Shelf within the exterior boundaries of any unit 
of the National Park System, National Wildlife 
Refuge System, or National Marine Sanctuary 
System, or any National Monument. 
‘‘(B) 
CERTAIN
TRANSMISSION
INFRA-
STRUCTURE.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 
subparagraph (A), if otherwise authorized 
pursuant to the National Marine Sanc-
tuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the 
Secretary may issue a lease, easement, or 
right-of-way to enable the transmission of 
electricity generated by an offshore renew-
able energy project. 
‘‘(ii) TERMS
AND
CONDITIONS.—In 
issuing a lease, easement, or right-of-way 
under clause (i), the Secretary may ap-
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prove and regulate, as necessary, the con-
struction and operation of transmission fa-
cilities and related infrastructure for the 
transmission of electricity generated by an 
offshore renewable energy project in a 
manner that minimizes environmental im-
pacts and harm to Tribal cultural re-
sources. 
‘‘(iii) COORDINATION.—In approving 
and regulating the construction and oper-
ation of facilities under clause (ii), the Sec-
retary shall coordinate with the Secretary 
of Commerce to ensure the duration of any 
necessary authorizations of such facilities 
under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act 
aligns with the duration of the relevant 
leases, easements, or rights-of-way issued 
under clause (i).’’; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(11) PLANNING AREA IMPACT STUDIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Beginning three years 
after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 
before holding any lease sale pursuant to para-
graph (1) for an area, the Secretary shall con-
duct a study of such area, or the wider plan-
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ning area that includes such area, in order to 
establish information needed for assessment 
and management of the environmental impacts 
on the human, marine, and coastal environ-
ments, and the Tribal cultural resources, of the 
outer Continental Shelf and the coastal areas 
which may be affected by offshore renewable 
energy projects in such area or planning area. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—A study conducted 
under subparagraph (A) shall— 
‘‘(i) incorporate the best available ex-
isting science and data, including Tribal 
Traditional Ecological Knowledge; 
‘‘(ii) identify areas for which there is 
insufficient science and data; and 
‘‘(iii) include consideration of the cu-
mulative impacts (including potential navi-
gational impacts) of offshore renewable en-
ergy projects on human, marine, and 
coastal environments. 
‘‘(C) USE OF DATA AND ASSESSMENTS.— 
The Secretary shall use the data and assess-
ments from studies conducted under this para-
graph, as appropriate, when deciding— 
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‘‘(i) which portions of an area or re-
gion are most appropriate to make avail-
able for leasing; and 
‘‘(ii) whether to issue any permit or 
other authorization that is necessary to 
carry out an offshore renewable energy 
project. 
‘‘(D) NEPA APPLICABILITY.—The Sec-
retary shall not consider a study conducted 
under subparagraph (A) to be a major Federal 
action under section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969. 
‘‘(12) CAPACITY
BUILDING
AND
COMMUNITY 
ENGAGEMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Commerce, may 
award grants to entities to build organizational 
capacity and enhance engagement opportunities 
related to offshore renewable energy project de-
velopment, including environmental and cultural 
reviews and permitting activities of such 
projects. 
‘‘(B) PURPOSES.—Grants awarded under 
subparagraph (A) shall be for— 
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‘‘(i) enabling States, Indian Tribes, 
affected ocean users, and nonprofit asso-
ciations that represent affected ocean users 
to compile data, conduct analyses, educate 
stakeholders, and complete other activities 
relating to offshore renewable energy 
project development; 
‘‘(ii) engaging in planning activities 
related to the development of offshore re-
newable energy projects to— 
‘‘(I) determine potential eco-
nomic, social, public health, environ-
mental, and cultural benefits and im-
pacts resulting from offshore renew-
able energy projects; and 
‘‘(II) identify opportunities to 
mitigate such impacts; 
‘‘(iii) facilitating siting of offshore re-
newable energy projects and associated 
electric transmission infrastructure; and 
‘‘(iv) hiring and training of personnel, 
and other activities designed to increase 
the capacity of States, Indian Tribes, and 
nonprofit associations, as applicable, to 
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carry out activities described in clauses (i) 
through (iii). 
‘‘(C) PRIORITIZATION.—When awarding 
grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall prioritize awarding grants that will be 
used to build organizational capacity and en-
hance community engagement opportunities of 
Indian Tribes. 
‘‘(D) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this para-
graph $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2030.’’. 
(d) RESERVATIONS.—Section 12(a) of the Outer 
Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1341(a)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) WITHDRAWAL OF UNLEASED LANDS BY THE 
PRESIDENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The President of the 
United States may, from time to time, withdraw 
from disposition any of the unleased lands of the 
outer Continental Shelf. 
‘‘(2) MODIFICATION FOR CERTAIN OFFSHORE 
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS.—With respect to a 
withdrawal under paragraph (1) of unleased lands 
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from disposition, the President may modify such a 
withdrawal only to allow for leasing under section 
8(p)(1)(C) and only if the President determines that 
environmental, Tribal, national security, or national 
or regional energy conditions or demands have 
changed such that a modification would be in the 
public interest.’’. 
(e) CITIZEN SUITS, COURT JURISDICTION, AND JU-
DICIAL REVIEW.—Section 23(c)(2) of the Outer Conti-
nental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1349(c)(2)) is amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) Any action of the Secretary to approve, require 
modification of, or disapprove any exploration plan or de-
velopment and production plan under this Act, or any 
plan, final lease, easement, or right-of-way granted pursu-
ant to section (8)(p)(1) (and any related final Federal 
agency actions), shall be subject to judicial review only in 
a United States court of appeals for a circuit in which 
an affected State or Indian Tribe is located.’’. 
SEC. 4. OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPENSATION 
FUND. 
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 34. OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPENSATION 
FUND. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Treasury of the United States the Offshore Renewable 
Energy Compensation Fund, which shall be used by the 
Secretary, or a third party the Secretary enters into a con-
tract with, to provide to covered entities— 
‘‘(1) payments for claims— 
‘‘(A) described under subsection (f)(1); and 
‘‘(B) 
verified 
pursuant 
to 
subsection 
(d)(1); and 
‘‘(2) grants to carry out mitigation activities de-
scribed in subsection (f)(2). 
‘‘(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUND.—The Fund shall be 
available to the Secretary without fiscal year limitations 
for the purpose of providing payments and grants under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) ACCOUNTS.—The Fund shall— 
‘‘(1) consist of the royalties, fees, rents, bo-
nuses, and other payments deposited under section 
8(p)(2)(D); and 
‘‘(2) be divided into separate area accounts 
from which payments and grants shall be provided 
based on the area in which damages occur. 
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall establish, 
by regulation, a process to— 
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‘‘(1) file, process, and verify claims for purposes 
of providing payments under subsection (a)(1); and 
‘‘(2) apply for a grant provided under sub-
section (a)(2). 
‘‘(e) PAYMENT AMOUNT.—Payments provided under 
subsection (a)(1) shall— 
‘‘(1) be based on the scope of the verified claim; 
‘‘(2) be fair and provided efficiently and in a 
transparent manner; and 
‘‘(3) if the covered entity receiving the payment 
has or will receive direct compensation for the 
verified claim pursuant to a community benefit 
agreement or other agreement between such covered 
entity and a holder of a lease, easement, or right- 
of-way, be reduced by an amount that is equal to the 
amount of such direct compensation. 
‘‘(f) CLAIMS; MITIGATION GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) CLAIMS.—A payment may be provided 
under subsection (a)(1) for a verified claim to— 
‘‘(A) replace or repair gear that was lost or 
damaged by the development, construction, op-
eration, or decommissioning of an offshore re-
newable energy project; or 
‘‘(B) replace income that was lost from the 
development, construction, operation, or decom-
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missioning of an offshore renewable energy 
project. 
‘‘(2) MITIGATION
GRANTS.—If the Secretary 
determines that there are sufficient amounts in an 
area account of the Fund to provide payments for 
all verified claims at any given time, the Secretary 
may use amounts in the Fund to provide grants to 
covered entities, and other entities determined ap-
propriate by the Secretary, to mitigate the potential 
effects of development, construction, operation, and 
decommissioning of an offshore renewable energy 
project, including by paying for gear changes, navi-
gation technology improvements, and other measures 
to enhance the safety and resiliency of the covered 
entities and such other entities. 
‘‘(g) ADVISORY GROUP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish and regularly convene an advisory group that 
shall provide recommendations on the development 
and administration of this section. 
‘‘(2) 
MEMBERSHIP.—The 
advisory 
group 
shall— 
‘‘(A) be comprised of individuals— 
‘‘(i) appointed by the Secretary; and 
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‘‘(ii) representing the geographic di-
versity of areas impacted by the develop-
ment, construction, operation, or decom-
missioning of offshore renewable energy 
projects; and 
‘‘(B) include representatives from— 
‘‘(i) recreational fishing interests; 
‘‘(ii) commercial fishing interests; 
‘‘(iii) Tribal interest; 
‘‘(iv) the National Marine Fisheries 
Service; 
‘‘(v) the fisheries science community; 
and 
‘‘(vi) other fields of expertise nec-
essary to effectively develop and administer 
this section, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(3) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The Secretary may 
provide amounts to any member of the advisory 
group to pay for travel expenses, including per diem 
in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an em-
ployee of an agency under section 5703 of title 5, 
United States Code, while away from the home or 
regular place of business of the member in the per-
formance of the duties of the advisory group. 
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‘‘(h) INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary determines 
that an area account does not contain a sufficient 
amount to provide payments under subsection 
(a)(1), the Secretary may, not more than once each 
calendar year, require any holder of an offshore re-
newable energy lease located within the area covered 
by the area account to pay an amount specified by 
the Secretary, which shall be deposited into such 
area account. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT.—No holder of an offshore re-
newable energy lease shall be required to pay an 
amount under paragraph (1) in excess of $3 per 
acre of the leased land described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(j) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—The Secretary 
may use up to 15 percent of the amount deposited into 
the Fund under section 8(p)(2)(D) during a fiscal year 
for administrative expenses to carry out this section. 
‘‘(j) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit 
to Congress, and make publicly available, an annual report 
on activities carried out under this section, including a de-
scription of claims filed and the amount of payments and 
grants provided. 
‘‘(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘covered en-
tity’ means— 
‘‘(A) a community, stakeholder, or Tribal 
interest— 
‘‘(i) that uses a geographic space of a 
lease area, including for Tribal cultural 
and religious uses, or uses resources har-
vested from a geographic space of a lease 
area; and 
‘‘(ii) for which such use is directly and 
adversely impacted by the development, 
construction, 
operation, 
or 
decommis-
sioning of an offshore renewable energy 
project located in such leased area; or 
‘‘(B) a regional association, cooperative, 
non-profit organization, commission, or corpora-
tion that— 
‘‘(i) serves a community, stakeholder, 
or Tribal interest described in subpara-
graph (A); and 
‘‘(ii) acts on behalf of such a commu-
nity, stakeholder, or Tribal interest for 
purposes of this section, including by sub-
mitting a claim for a covered entity under 
this section. 
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‘‘(2) FUND.—The term ‘Fund’ means the Off-
shore Renewable Energy Compensation Fund estab-
lished under subsection (a). 
‘‘(3) LEASE
AREA.—The term ‘lease area’ 
means an area covered by an offshore renewable en-
ergy lease. 
‘‘(4) OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY LEASE.— 
The term ‘offshore renewable energy lease’ means a 
lease, easement, or right-of-way granted under sec-
tion 8(p)(1)(C).’’. 
SEC. 5. IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL RE-
VIEWS TO ENSURE TIMELY PERMITTING DE-
CISIONS. 
(a) BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT.—In 
addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appro-
priated to the Secretary of the Interior for fiscal year 
2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated, $50,000,000 to remain available until ex-
pended, to provide for the hiring and training of personnel, 
the development of programmatic environmental docu-
ments, the procurement of technical or scientific services 
for environmental and cultural reviews, the development 
of cultural competency for Tribal consultations, support 
of regional ocean data portals, the development of environ-
mental data or information systems (including efforts to 
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standardize, establish a baseline for, publish, or otherwise 
improve the consistency of environmental data), the devel-
opment of pre-application components, stakeholder and 
community engagement, updates to the Marine Cadastre 
for 
advancements 
in 
spatial 
data 
analysis 
and 
deconfliction, the purchase of new equipment for environ-
mental analysis, and coordination (including through the 
public tracking of Federal authorizations and reviews) to 
facilitate timely, efficient, and responsible permitting and 
review of offshore renewable energy projects. 
(b) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN-
ISTRATION.—In addition to amounts otherwise available, 
there is appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce for 
fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated, $45,000,000 to remain available 
until expended, to provide for the hiring and training of 
personnel, the development of programmatic environ-
mental documents, the procurement of technical or sci-
entific services for environmental and cultural reviews, the 
development of cultural competency for Tribal consulta-
tions, support of regional ocean data portals, the develop-
ment of environmental data or information systems (in-
cluding efforts to standardize, baseline, publish, or other-
wise improve the consistency of environmental data), 
stakeholder and community engagement, updates to the 
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Marine Cadastre for advancements in spatial data analysis 
and deconfliction, adaptation of scientific and fisheries 
surveys, and the purchase of new equipment for environ-
mental analysis to facilitate timely, efficient, and respon-
sible environmental reviews for the permitting of offshore 
renewable energy projects. 
SEC. 6. REPORT ON DECOMMISSIONING OF OFFSHORE RE-
NEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS. 
Not later than 10 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to 
Congress, and make publicly available, a report evaluating 
decommissioning options for offshore renewable energy 
projects (and associated electric transmission infrastruc-
ture), including an assessment of the potential for the 
holder of a lease, easement, or right-of-way to keep facili-
ties in place or otherwise convert such facilities to artificial 
reefs to support marine habitats, provided that such facili-
ties will not adversely impact navigation, national security, 
the marine environment, Tribal uses, or other competing 
uses of the outer Continental Shelf. 
SEC. 7. OFFSHORE POWER ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy 
shall establish the Offshore Power Administration. 
(b) AUTHORITIES.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Offshore Power Admin-
istration may, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3)— 
(A) construct, finance, facilitate, plan, op-
erate, maintain, acquire, and study covered 
transmission infrastructure; and 
(B) support construction, financing, facili-
tation, planning, operation, maintenance, acqui-
sition, and study of covered transmission infra-
structure. 
(2) LIMITATION ON CONSTRUCTION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Offshore Power 
Administration may not construct covered 
transmission infrastructure in any region until 
the Secretary of Energy has made a determina-
tion (in consultation with the Secretary of the 
Interior) that the relevant State governments, 
regional transmission organizations, offshore re-
newable energy project developers, and other 
stakeholders in such region have failed to ade-
quately coordinate and cooperate on the devel-
opment and use of shared covered transmission 
infrastructure. 
(B) INITIAL
DELAY.—The Secretary of 
Energy may not make a determination under 
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this paragraph sooner than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(3) LEASES, 
EASEMENTS, 
AND
RIGHTS-OF 
WAY.—In carrying out any activity under paragraph 
(1), the Offshore Power Administration shall be sub-
ject to the requirements to obtain a lease, easement, 
or right-of-way under section 8(p) of the Outer Con-
tinental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337). 
(c) GOVERNANCE.— 
(1) ORGANIZATION.—The Offshore Power Ad-
ministration shall be preserved as a separate and 
distinct organizational entity within the Department 
of Energy and shall be headed by an Administrator 
appointed by the Secretary of Energy. 
(2) REGIONAL
OFFICES.—The Administrator 
shall establish and maintain such regional offices as 
necessary to facilitate the performance of the Off-
shore Power Administration. 
(d) LOANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall, 
without appropriation and without fiscal year limita-
tion, make loans to the Offshore Power Administra-
tion that, in the judgment of the Administrator, are 
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required to carry out the activities listed in sub-
section (b)(1). 
(2) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graphs (B) and (C), loans made by the Sec-
retary of the Treasury under paragraph (1) 
shall include such terms and conditions that the 
Administrator and Secretary of the Treasury 
may agree to. 
(B) INTEREST.—The rate of interest to be 
charged in connection with any loan made 
under paragraph (1) shall be fixed by the Sec-
retary of the Treasury, taking into consider-
ation market yields on outstanding marketable 
obligations of the United States of comparable 
maturities as of the date on which the loan is 
made. 
(C) LIMITATION.—Loans made by the Sec-
retary of the Treasury under paragraph (1) 
may not result in, in the aggregate (including 
deferred interest), $10,000,000,000 in out-
standing repayable balances at any one time. 
(3) REFINANCING.—The Administrator may re-
finance loans made pursuant to this section with the 
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