HR 264 - Northern California Ocean and Coastal Protection Act

To permanently prohibit oil and gas leasing off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties in the State of California, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 12, 2011

Mr. THOMPSON of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To permanently prohibit oil and gas leasing off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties in the State of California, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Northern California Ocean and Coastal Protection Act'.

SEC. 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-

`(1) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any other law and except as provided in paragraph (2), beginning on the date of enactment of this subsection, the conduct of oil and gas preleasing, leasing, and related activities is prohibited in areas of the outer Continental Shelf located off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties in the State of California.

`(2) EFFECT- Nothing in this subsection affects any rights under leases issued under this Act before the date of enactment of this subsection.'.

SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF OIL AND NATURAL GAS RESOURCES.

Section 357(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15912(a)) is amended by inserting after `Continental Shelf' the following: `(other than the areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties in the State of California)'.

END