HR 2881119th CongressIn Committee

COAST Anti-Drilling Act of 2025

Introduced: Apr 10, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The COAST Anti-Drilling Act of 2025 would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently bar offshore oil and gas leasing, exploration, development, or production in four Atlantic-focused planning areas and the Straits of Florida. Specifically, the bill adds a new provision (subsection (q)) to Section 8 of the OCS Lands Act, directing the Secretary not to issue leases or any other authorization for oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas. The areas to be restricted are those depicted in the 2024–2029 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program and related notice/that program’s Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. In short, the bill would permanently prohibit offshore drilling in these four planning areas, effectively preventing future leasing and related activities in those zones. It is introduced as the “Clean Ocean And Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act of 2025” (COAST Act) with Rep. Pallone and a group of cosponsors, and is referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Key Points

1Prohibits oil and gas leasing in four designated OCS planning areas: North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida.
2Adds new subsection (q) to Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, creating a statutory ban on leasing, exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in those areas.
3Ties the prohibition to the areas as depicted in the 2024–2029 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program and the associated 2023 Notice of Availability; uses those documents to define the boundary of the ban.
4Sets a permanent policy, not a temporary moratorium, meaning the prohibition would remain in effect unless further legislation changes it.
5The bill’s short title reflects its focus on protecting oceans, tourism, and safety from offshore drilling (COAST Act), with multiple sponsors led by Rep. Pallone and a list of cosponsors.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Offshore oil and gas industries, leaseholders, and operators who would be blocked from leasing or conducting exploration and production in the four Atlantic-Straits planning areas.Secondary group/area affected- Coastal states and communities along the Atlantic coast (supporting tourism and fishing economies) that may benefit from reduced drilling activity and associated environmental risks.- Tourism, recreation, and environmental organizations advocating for ocean protection and clean waters.- Federal agencies (notably the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Department of the Interior) responsible for offshore leasing and leasing program planning.Additional impacts- Environmental protection and coastal ecosystem safeguarding in the affected regions.- Potential shifts in energy development activity to other regions or technologies; possible implications for energy supply, prices, and federal revenue from leasing in areas not currently prohibited.- Legal and regulatory considerations if challenged or contested, given the explicit statutory prohibition tied to a specific leasing program document.

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