A bill to prohibit oil and gas leasing, exploration, and development offshore North Carolina until adequate physical oceanographic, ecological, and socioeconomic information is available to enable informed decisionmaking, and for other purposes.
Outer Banks Protection Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any lease, approving any exploration plan, or permitting any drilling for oil or gas on Outer Continental Shelf lands off the shore of North Carolina.
Provides that such prohibition shall remain in effect until 45 days of continuous session of the Congress after submission of a specified certification to the Congress by the Secretary. Provides that the prohibition for new leases shall remain in effect until January 1, 2000. Directs the Secretary to issue a lease suspension for any active lease affected by such prohibition to remain in effect throughout the duration of the prohibition.
Requires the Secretary to undertake certain studies to obtain information about conditions which may be influenced by leasing and development activities off the shore of North Carolina to enable the Secretary to carry out responsibilities with respect to authorizing such activities.
Establishes the Environmental Sciences Review Panel to make recommendations and findings as to the adequacy of such information.
Authorizes appropriations.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
checking server…
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line