S 109119th CongressIn Committee

Offshore Energy Security Act of 2025

Introduced: Jan 16, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, the Offshore Energy Security Act of 2025, would dramatically expand and fast-track offshore oil and gas leasing in federal waters. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to hold at least 20 offshore lease sales over 10 years, beginning after enactment, with each sale offering a very large area (at least 74 million acres) in the Gulf of Mexico region. The lease terms would mirror those used for Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 261 in 2023, and the Secretary would have broad authority to waive certain review requirements that could delay final approval. The bill would override the current 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Leasing Program to prioritize these scheduled sales. In addition, the bill extends and broadens a moratorium on oil and gas leasing in parts of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts (Eastern Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida) through December 31, 2035, while allowing simple environmental exceptions for conservation purposes. It also modifies how environmental lawsuits interact with lease sales, attempting to keep leases valid and permit processes moving even during NEPA challenges, with a process to pause drilling timelines if a lease is in a lawsuit. Overall, the bill aims to increase domestic offshore energy production and supply security, while limiting procedural delays and expanding leasing areas, particularly in the Gulf.

Key Points

1Mandatory schedule of at least 20 offshore lease sales over 10 years, beginning in 2025-2026, with fixed dates (roughly every 6 to 12 months) and a predefined Gulf-focused location.
2Each offshore lease sale must offer at least 74,000,000 acres in the Gulf of Mexico Region Program Area and follow lease terms and stipulations matching Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 261 (the 2023 terms), with leases issued promptly to high bidders when bids are acceptable.
3The Secretary is authorized to waive any other requirements under NEPA-related provisions (Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act) if delaying final approval of a lease sale would occur.
4The bill requires the Secretary to conduct lease sales in a way that largely follows a 2017-2022 Record of Decision and related environmental documents, to the maximum extent practicable.
5Moratorium expansion: extends the Gulf moratorium to cover select areas (Eastern Gulf, South Atlantic Planning Area, and Straits of Florida Planning Area) through December 31, 2035, while preserving rights for valid existing leases; allows environmental conservation lease provisions as exemptions.
6Litigation and NEPA provisions: NEPA challenges cannot automatically void leases; instead, courts may remand to the Secretary to fix violations, with the Secretary continuing to process drilling permits; leaseholders must be notified within 60 days of a lawsuit, and may pause the lease timeline for up to the duration of the litigation.
7Environmental conservation exceptions: even in moratorium areas, the Interior Secretary may issue leases for environmental conservation purposes (shore protection, beach nourishment/restoration, wetlands restoration, habitat protection).

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Offshore oil and gas industry and energy developers, especially those interested in Gulf of Mexico exploration; federal agencies (Secretary of the Interior, BOEM) and state governments with Gulf coast interests.- Federal budget and revenue implications from leasing and royalties, as calls for at least 20 large lease sales over a decade could affect federal revenues, royalty streams, and resource management costs.Secondary group/area affected- Gulf coast communities and economies that could benefit from lease activity, but also bear potential environmental and spill risk.- Environmental organizations and wildlife interests concerned about accelerated offshore drilling and potential impacts on marine ecosystems, endangered species, and coastal habitats.- Other coastal states outside the Gulf that would be affected indirectly by a shift in leasing focus and timelines.Additional impacts- Environmental review and litigation dynamics: the bill’s NEPA-relief provisions could reduce typical litigation delays, potentially changing how environmental reviews and court challenges influence project timelines.- Climate and energy policy implications: expanding offshore drilling and bypassing certain review steps may conflict with climate goals and ongoing policy debates about fossil fuel dependence.- Land and marine use: a large-scale leasing push could affect marine traffic, fisheries, coastal erosion protections, and habitat conservation efforts, though the bill provides some environmental exemptions for conservation purposes.The act is introduced in the Senate (S. 109) and currently in committee (as of introduction). Sponsor and co-sponsors include several lawmakers, but the bill’s fate depends on committee action and potential amendments.The approach relies on major waivers of standard environmental review and a specific Gulf-centric lease program framework, which would be subject to legal and administrative challenges, as well as potential state-level responses.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Nov 1, 2025