Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2022
Bill: S.5305 | Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff (D-OR)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2022
This bill limits oil and gas leasing in Arctic areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from issuing or extending a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in Arctic areas of the OCS.
In addition, the bill declares that it is the policy of the United States that the Arctic Ocean should be managed for the best interests of the people of the United States, including by keeping fossil fuels in the ground to avoid the dangerous impacts of climate change.

To prohibit drilling in the Arctic Ocean.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that, as of the date of enactment of 
this Act--
            (1) global climate change is occurring due largely to 
        anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and will continue 
        to pose ongoing risks and challenges to the people and the 
        Government of the United States;
            (2) the evidence of impacts and dangers of climate change 
        are supported by numerous reports and panels, such as--
                    (A) the 2018 National Climate Assessment;
                    (B) the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
                Change special report, which details significant 
                economic and ecological damage from a 1.5 degree 
                Celsius increase in temperature; and
                    (C) the 2018 United States Geological Survey 
                Scientific Investigations Report, which highlights that 
                developments on Federal land account for a significant 
                quantity of greenhouse gas emissions;
            (3)(A) the average temperature in the United States during 
        the decade preceding the date of enactment of this Act was 0.8 
        degree Celsius (1.5 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the 1901-
        1960 average; and
            (B) that decade was the warmest on record both in the 
        United States and globally;
            (4) the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of 
        the planet;
            (5) a global temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius will 
        lead to increased droughts, rising seas, mass extinctions, heat 
        waves, desertification, wildfires, and acidifying oceans;
            (6) delaying action on climate change will result in severe 
        economic losses, and global mitigation costs increase by 
        approximately 40 percent for each decade of delay;
            (7) at least 80 percent of the carbon from known fossil 
        fuel reserves must not be released into the atmosphere to have 
        an 80 percent chance of avoiding the worst effects of climate 
        change stemming from a 2 degree Celsius change in global 
        temperature;
            (8) developing oil and gas reserves in the Arctic Ocean is 
        incompatible with staying within that global carbon budget and 
        avoiding the worst effects of climate change; and
            (9) the Arctic Ocean is home to invaluable and fragile 
        ecosystems, which are critical to--
                    (A) marine mammals, including whales, walrus, ice 
                seals, and polar bears;
                    (B) fisheries;
                    (C) migratory birds;
                    (D) indigenous populations; and
                    (E) subsistence hunters.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
that the Arctic Ocean should be managed for the best interests of the 
people of the United States, including by keeping fossil fuels in the 
ground to avoid the dangerous impacts of climate change.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF OIL AND GAS LEASING IN ARCTIC AREAS OF THE OUTER 
              CONTINENTAL SHELF.

    Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(q) Prohibition of Oil and Gas Leasing in Arctic Areas of the 
Outer Continental Shelf.--
            ``(1) Definition of arctic.--In this subsection, the term 
        `Arctic' has the meaning given the term in section 112 of the 
        Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111).
            ``(2) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        this Act or any other law, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
        not issue or extend a lease or any other authorization for the 
        exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or 
        any other mineral on Arctic areas of the outer Continental 
        Shelf.''.
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