Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB513

Introduced

1/16/25

Refer

1/16/25

Refer

5/13/25

Caption

Offshore Lands Authorities Act of 2025

Impact

Should HB 513 be enacted, it will notably influence the energy landscape by potentially increasing offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling, which supporters argue will bolster energy independence and create jobs. The legislative measure establishes limitations on the President’s authority to unilaterally withdraw land, stipulating that a withdrawal cannot exceed 150,000 acres and cannot be made for a duration exceeding 20 years without Congressional approval. Additionally, it requires thorough assessments of the economic and environmental impacts before any new withdrawals can be enacted.

Summary

House Bill 513, titled the ‘Offshore Lands Authorities Act of 2025,’ aims to nullify previous Presidential withdrawals of unleased offshore lands and amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The bill essentially restores access to certain offshore areas previously designated as off-limits for oil and gas leasing. It specifically targets withdrawals made under several Presidential memoranda from 2014 to 2025 that excluded significant portions of the Arctic and Atlantic coasts along with other critical regions from mineral leasing, thereby allowing drilling activities in these regions to resume.

Contention

The proposed bill is likely to attract significant debate and opposition, particularly from environmental groups and those concerned about climate change, as it may contradict efforts to protect natural habitats and mitigate the impacts of fossil fuel extraction. Critics argue that rolling back these protections could jeopardize marine ecosystems and exacerbate climate change. There is also concern that concentrating authority within the legislative framework could weaken the federal government’s capability to respond flexibly to future environmental crises or concerns over energy policy.

Congress_id

119-HR-513

Policy_area

Energy

Introduced_date

2025-01-16

Latest HB513 Activity

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Similar Bills

US HB408

This bill nullifies two presidential memoranda that were published on January 6, 2025, including (1) the Memorandum on the Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing, relating to the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); and (2) the Memorandum on the Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing, relating to the Bering Sea areas of the OCS. The memoranda prohibited the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from issuing offshore leases for the exploration, development, or production (i.e., offshore drilling) of oil or natural gas in those areas.This bill reverses the withdrawal to allow BOEM to issue leases in those areas.

US SB104

Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban ActThis bill nullifies two presidential memoranda that were published on January 6, 2025, including (1) the Memorandum on the Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing, relating to the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); and (2) the Memorandum on the Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing, relating to the Bering Sea areas of the OCS. The memoranda prohibited the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from issuing offshore leases for the exploration, development, or production (i.e., offshore drilling) of oil or natural gas in those areas.This bill reverses the withdrawal to allow BOEM to issue leases in those areas.