HR 52
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 52
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that treatment
of the issuance of any exploration plans, development production plans, development
operation coordination documents, and lease sales required under Federal law
for offshore drilling activity on the outer Continental Shelf as a major Federal
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for the
purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 5, 2011
Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia (for himself and Mr. TONKO) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that treatment
of the issuance of any exploration plans, development production plans, development
operation coordination documents, and lease sales required under Federal law
for offshore drilling activity on the outer Continental Shelf as a major Federal
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for the
purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 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 `Oil Pollution Environmental Review Act' or `OPERA'.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF NEPA TO OFFSHORE DRILLING ACTIVITY.
(a) In General- The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
`SEC. 32. APPLICATION OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OF 1969.
`(a) In General- The head of any Federal agency shall treat the issuance of
any exploration plans, development production plans, development operation
coordination documents, and lease sales required under Federal law for offshore
drilling activity on the outer Continental Shelf as a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for the purposes
of section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and requiring
detailed environmental analysis of such proposed actions and reasonably foreseeable
subsequent actions.
`(b) Definitions- In this section the term `offshore drilling activity'--
`(1) means drilling for oil or gas under a lease, or conducting a major
geophysical seismic survey, under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act;
and
`(2) includes such drilling or surveying for exploration, development, or
production.'.
(b) Repeal of 30-Day Deadline for Approval of Exploration Activities- Section
11(c)(1) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1340(c)(1)) is
amended by striking `The Secretary shall approve such plan, as submitted or
modified, within thirty days of its submission, except that the' and by inserting
`The'.
END
