S. 2253

A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to offer the 181 Area of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas leasing.

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II

Calendar No. 402

109th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2253

[Report No. 109–240]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 7, 2006

Mr. Domenici (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Talent, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Burns, Mr. Craig, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Bond, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Thune, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Nelson of Nebraska) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

April 20, 2006

Reported, under authority of the order of the Senate of April 7, 2006, by Mr. Domenici, without amendment

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Interior to offer the 181 Area of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas leasing.

1.

Offshore oil and gas leasing in 181 Area of Gulf of Mexico

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

181 Area

The term 181 Area means the area identified in map 15, page 58, of the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 1997–2002 of the Minerals Management Service.

(2)

Military Mission Line

The term Military Mission Line means the north-south line at 86°41′ W. longitude.

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Minerals Management Service.

(b)

Lease sale

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary shall offer the 181 Area for oil and gas leasing pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) as soon as practicable, but not later than 1 year, after the date of enactment of this Act.

(c)

Excluded areas

In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary shall not offer for oil and gas leasing—

(1)

any area east of the Military Mission Line, unless the Secretary of Defense agrees in writing before the area is offered for lease that the area can be developed in a manner that will not interfere with military activities; or

(2)

any area that is within 100 miles of the coastline of the State of Florida.

(d)

Leasing Program

The 181 Area shall be offered for lease under this section notwithstanding the omission of the 181 Area from any outer Continental Shelf leasing program under section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344).

April 20, 2006

Reported without amendment