Preserving the Gulf Test Range to Ensure Military Readiness Act
Impact
The bill reflects a significant step towards prioritizing military readiness over energy expansion in specific coastal areas. By establishing this moratorium, the legislation seeks to safeguard critical military training and testing environments from potential disruptions caused by energy development activities. Proponents of the bill argue that such protection is essential for national defense and the operational capability of the armed forces.
Summary
House Bill 970, titled the 'Preserving the Gulf Test Range to Ensure Military Readiness Act', proposes a moratorium on energy development in designated areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The bill aims to prevent any leasing or associated activities for energy exploration, including oil and gas, that may impact national security or military readiness. The proposed moratorium will remain effective until June 30, 2032, specifically targeting areas east of the Military Mission Line and other locations identified in reports showing potential adverse effects on military operations.
Contention
The proposal has sparked discussions regarding the balance between energy development and military needs. While supporters emphasize the necessity of protecting military readiness, critics may raise concerns about the repercussions on energy independence and job creation within the energy sector. The challenge will lie in addressing these competing interests as the bill moves through the legislative process and garnering the necessary support from diverse stakeholders.
Unleashing American Energy Act This bill requires a minimum amount of oil and gas lease sales a year on certain submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and limits delays on federal oil and gas leases on such lands. Specifically, this bill requires the Department of the Interior to annually conduct a minimum of two region-wide oil and gas lease sales in each of the following regions of the OCS: (1) the Gulf of Mexico region in the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area and the Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area, and (2) the Alaska region. In addition, the bill requires the President to obtain congressional approval before delaying federal oil and gas leases on the OCS.
Lower Energy Costs Act This bill provides for the exploration, development, importation, and exportation of energy resources (e.g., oil, gas, and minerals). For example, it sets forth provisions to (1) expedite energy projects, (2) eliminate or reduce certain fees related to the development of federal energy resources, and (3) eliminate certain funds that provide incentives to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases. The bill expedites the development, importation, and exportation of energy resources, including by waiving environmental review requirements and other specified requirements under certain environmental laws, eliminating certain restrictions on the import and export of oil and natural gas, prohibiting the President from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing (a type of process used to extract underground energy resources), directing the Department of the Interior to conduct sales for the leasing of oil and gas resources on federal lands and waters as specified by the bill, and limiting the authority of the President and executive agencies to restrict or delay the development of energy on federal land. In addition, the bill reduces royalties for oil and gas development on federal land and eliminates charges on methane emissions. It also eliminates a variety of funds, such as funds for energy efficiency improvements in buildings as well as the greenhouse gas reduction fund.