Seismic Moratorium Act

Bill: 114-s-1171
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2015-04-30
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Fishes

Florida

Mammals

Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Oil and gas

Reptiles

Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Latest action: action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-04-30
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Seismic Moratorium Act</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits conducting geological or geophysical activities in support of oil or gas exploration and development in any area located within a specified exclusive economic zone located off the coastline of Florida. </p> <p>This moratorium shall only be terminated if the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (of the Department of Commerce) determines that the reasonably foreseeable impacts of such activities are minimal to individuals or populations of marine mammals, sea turtles, or fish.</p> <p>These geological or geophysical activities are described in the final programmatic environmental impact statement of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (of the Department of the Interior) entitled &quot;Atlantic OCS Proposed Geological and Geophysical Activities, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Planning Areas,&quot; completed February 2014.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1171 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 30, 2015 Mr. Nelson introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To establish a moratorium on oil and gas-related seismic activities off the coastline of the State of Florida, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Seismic Moratorium Act . 2. Moratorium on oil and gas-related seismic activities in the exclusive economic zone off the coastline of the State of Florida (a) In general Except as provided in subsection (b) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person may conduct geological or geophysical activities (as those terms are described in the final programmatic environmental impact statement of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management entitled Atlantic OCS Proposed Geological and Geophysical Activities, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Planning Areas and completed February 2014) in support of oil or gas exploration and development in any area located within the exclusive economic zone (as defined in section 107 of title 46, United States Code) located off the coastline of the State of Florida. (b) Termination of moratorium The moratorium described in subsection (a) shall only be terminated if the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration determines that the reasonably foreseeable impacts of the geological or geophysical activities described in subsection (a) to individuals or populations of marine mammals, sea turtles, or fish are minimal.