Florida Coastal Protection Act
Florida Coastal Protection Act would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to block new offshore oil and natural gas activity off the Florida coast. Specifically, it adds a new prohibition (subsection (j)) that forbids the Secretary from issuing leases or other authorizations for exploration, development, or production in three defined offshore areas: (A) the Eastern Gulf of Mexico area referenced in the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, (B) the portion of the South Atlantic Planning Area south of 30 degrees 43 minutes North Latitude as depicted in the 2024–2029 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program (Sept. 2023), and (C) the Straits of Florida Planning Area as depicted in the same program. Importantly, leases issued before the bill’s enactment are not affected. The bill aims to protect Florida’s coastal environment and economy by preventing new offshore oil and gas development in these areas.
Key Points
- 1Prohibition scope: The Secretary may not issue a lease or any other authorization for exploration, development, or production of oil or gas in the three specified offshore areas off Florida’s coast.
- 2Areas covered:
- 3- Eastern Gulf of Mexico area referenced in section 104(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006;
- 4- The portion of the South Atlantic Planning Area south of 30°43′ North Latitude, as shown in the 2024–2029 leasing program (Sept. 2023);
- 5- The Straits of Florida Planning Area, as shown in the same program.
- 6Legal mechanism: The prohibition is added as subsection (j) to Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, with a blanket “notwithstanding” clause to supersede other laws or provisions.
- 7Effect on existing leases: The prohibition does not affect rights under any lease issued before the enactment date.
- 8Sponsor and status: Introduced in the House on April 7, 2025, by Florida Representatives Castor, Buchanan, Soto, and Bilirakis, and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.