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S. 617Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

COAST Anti-Drilling Act

Sponsored by Robert MenendezSen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Introduced March 1, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 4:10 AM UTC

The COAST Anti-Drilling Act amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently bar offshore oil and gas leasing in four U.S. planning areas—the Mid‑Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and the Straits of Florida. By preventing the Interior Secretary from issuing any new leases or authorizations for exploration, development, or production, the bill stops future offshore drilling in those regions. It mainly affects oil and gas companies, the federal leasing process, and the areas’ marine environments.

Key Provisions

  • The bill adds a new subsection to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any lease or other authorization for oil, natural gas, or mineral exploration, development, or production in the Mid‑Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas.
  • The prohibition is permanent and supersedes any other provision or law that might allow such leasing.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

March 1, 2023

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 1, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

March 1, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 1, 2023

II

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 617

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 1, 2023

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. King, Mr. Reed, Mr. Booker, Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Coons, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf in the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Clean Ocean And Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act or the COAST Anti-Drilling Act.

2.

Prohibition of oil and gas leasing in certain 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 certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other law, the Secretary of the Interior shall not issue a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in—

(1)

the Mid-Atlantic planning area;

(2)

the South Atlantic planning area;

(3)

the North Atlantic planning area; or

(4)

the Straits of Florida planning area.

.