I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 522 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require annual lease 
sales in the Gulf of Mexico region of the outer Continental Shelf, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2021 
Mr. CRENSHAW (for himself, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. JACKSON, Mr. 
WEBER of Texas, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, Mr. GUEST, Mr. CARL, and Mr. 
GOHMERT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require 
annual lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico region of the 
outer Continental Shelf, 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 ‘‘Conservation Funding 
Protection Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ANNUAL LEASE SALES IN GULF OF MEXICO REGION. 
Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1344) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(i) ANNUAL LEASE SALES IN GULF OF MEXICO RE-
GION.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) CENTRAL
GULF
OF
MEXICO
PLAN-
NING AREA.—The term ‘Central Gulf of Mexico 
Planning Area’ has the meaning given the term 
‘Central Planning Area’ in section 102 of the 
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 note; Public Law 109–432). 
‘‘(B) WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO PLAN-
NING AREA.—The term ‘Western Gulf of Mex-
ico Planning Area’ means the Western Gulf of 
Mexico Planning Area of the outer Continental 
Shelf, as designated in the document entitled 
‘Draft Proposed Program Outer Continental 
Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2007– 
2012’ and dated February 2006. 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL LEASE SALES.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, beginning in fiscal year 
2022, the Secretary shall hold a minimum of 2 re-
gion-wide lease sales annually in the Gulf of Mexico 
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pursuant to this Act, each of which shall include 
areas in— 
‘‘(A) the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning 
Area; and 
‘‘(B) the Western Gulf of Mexico Planning 
Area. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the 
lease sales under paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall issue leases to the highest responsible 
qualified bidder or bidders. 
‘‘(B) AREAS INCLUDED IN LEASE SALES.— 
In carrying out the lease sales under paragraph 
(2), the Secretary shall include in each lease 
sale all unleased areas that are not subject to 
restrictions as of the date of the lease sale. 
‘‘(4) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—With respect to each 
lease sale required under paragraph (2), the 
Secretary shall conduct any environmental re-
views required by the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
‘‘(B) DEADLINE.— 
‘‘(i) INDIVIDUAL REVIEW.—If the Sec-
retary conducts environmental reviews with 
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respect to a lease sale under subparagraph 
(A) for each individual lease included in 
the lease sale, the Secretary shall complete 
all environmental reviews for the lease sale, 
including by issuing a finding of no signifi-
cant impact or a record of decision, if ap-
plicable, in less than 365 calendar days. 
‘‘(ii) PROGRAMMATIC REVIEW.—If the 
Secretary conducts a programmatic envi-
ronmental review with respect to a lease 
sale under subparagraph (A) for all leases 
under the lease sale, the Secretary shall 
complete the programmatic environmental 
review, including by issuing a finding of no 
significant impact or a record of decision, 
if applicable, in less than 180 calendar 
days. 
‘‘(j) PERMITTING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to sovereign con-
tracting rights and obligations, the Secretary shall 
review and grant or deny in accordance with para-
graph (2) any application for a permit or other ap-
proval for offshore oil and natural gas exploration, 
development, and production activities under a lease 
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issued pursuant to this Act by not later than the 
earlier of— 
‘‘(A) 75 calendar days after the date on 
which the application is received by the Bureau 
of Ocean Energy Management or the Bureau of 
Safety and Environmental Enforcement; or 
‘‘(B) any other applicable deadline re-
quired by law. 
‘‘(2) APPROVAL OR DENIAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Absent clear grounds 
for denial of an application for a permit or 
other approval described in paragraph (1), the 
Secretary shall grant the permit or approval. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT.—If the Secretary de-
nies an application for a permit or other ap-
proval under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall provide to the applicant written notice ex-
plaining the grounds for the denial.’’. 
Æ 
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