,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #if  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$
 ,,/ates  ,janu>y #bc 7legislative day1 
,janu>y #c71 #bjac ,mr4 ,vitt] introduc$
 ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice &      
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &      
,natural ,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
au?orize ! use ( c]ta9 (f%ore oil & gas 
plat=ms 9 ! ,gulf ( ,mexico = artificial
 reefs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort    
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,rigs to
 ,reefs ,habitat ,protection ,act4  #b4 
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3  7#a7          
,decommission+ ,! t]m decommission+     
includes ! flu%+1 plugg+1 & cem5t+ ( a  
plat=m4  7#b7 ,fund ,! t]m ,fund means !
 ,reef ,ma9t5ance ,fund e/abli%$ by     
section #c7;h77#a74  7#c7 ,notice ,! t]m
 ,notice means ! notice to lessees      
numb]$ #bjaj-;,g#je1 entitl$ ,notice to 
,lessees & ,op]ators ( ,f$]al ,oil &    
,gas ,leases & ,pipel9e ,"r-(-,way      
,hold]s 9 ! ,out] ,cont95tal ,%elf1     
,gulf ( ,mexico ,,ocs ,region1 & issu$  
,septemb] #ae1 #bjaj4  7#d7 ,plat=m ,!  

t]m plat=m means an (f%ore oil & gas    
plat=m 9 ! ,gulf ( ,mexico t1 z det]m9$ 
by ! ,secret>y--  7,a7 is no long]      
useful = op]ations1 z def9$ 9 ! ,notice2
 &  7,b7 has become critical = m>9e     
fi%]ies habitat4  7#e7 ,program ,! t]m  
,program means ! artificial reef program
 au?oriz$ "u ! ,national ,fi%+          
,enhancem5t ,act ( #aihd 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 
#baja et seq474  7#f7 ,secret>y ,! t]m  
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( !         
,int]ior4  #c4 ,use ( c]ta9 ,(f%ore oil 
& gas plat=ms = artificial reefs  7a7   
,assessm5t ,z soon z practicable aft] ! 
date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y 
%all conduct an assessm5t ( ea* ( !     
plat=ms--  7#a7 to det]m9e :e!r !re are 
coral populations or o!r protect$       
species 9 ! vic9ity ( ! plat=m2 &  7#b7 
to id5tify any species 9 ! vic9ity ( !  
plat=m t h recreational or comm]cial    
value4  7b7 ,prohibition ( removal  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+ ! ,notice1 no plat=ms
 %all be remov$ 9 accordance ) ! ,notice
 until ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y has    

complet$ assessm5ts ( ea* ( ! plat=ms "u
 subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,susp5sion (     
decommission+ ,if1 dur+ an assessm5t    
conduct$ "u subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y 
det]m9es t !re is a sub/antial reef     
ecosy/em 9 ! vic9ity ( ! plat=m1 !      
decommission+ ( ! plat=m "u ! ,notice   
%all be plac$ on hold until su* "t z !  
,secret>y det]m9es t decommission+ !    
plat=m w\ld n h>m ! reef ecosy/em4  7c7 
,exemption f c]ta9 requirem5ts ,!       
requirem5t 9 ! ,notice t a lessee remove
 a plat=m z soon z possible1 b n lat]   
?an #e ye>s aft] ! effective date ( !   
,notice or )9 #e ye>s ( ! plat=m1 meet+ 
! def9ition ( no long] useful =         
op]ations1 :i*ev] is lat]1 %all n apply 
to a lessee t--  7#a7 commits to ent]+ !
 plat=m 9 ! ,program2 &  7#b7           
demon/rates ! commitm5t describ$ 9      
p>agraph 7#a7 by initiat+ discussions ) 
applicable ,/ates reg>d+ pot5tial sites 
= ! artificial reef4  7d7 ,reef+ 9 place
 ,a lessee may1 z appropriate1 provide =
 reef+ 9 place "u ! ,program4  7e7 ,/ate

 programs  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a ,/ate t has 
a ,/ate rig-to-reef program may ent]    
into an agreem5t ) any appropriate      
entities to assume liability 9 ,f$]al   
wat] = a /ructure cov]$ by ! ,/ate      
program4  7#b7 ,ma9t5ance ,not)/&+ an   
agreem5t ent]$ into "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! 
op]ator ( ! cov]$ /ructure %all rema9   
responsible = ma9ta9+ ! cov]$ /ructure4 
7f7 ,removal ( top decks ,"u ! ,program1
 top decks ( a rig may be remov$1 d[n to
 wat] surface level1 if appropriate     
id5tify+ m>k]s are us$ to protect       
navigation4  7g7 ,ma9t5ance & f9ancial  
requirem5ts ,z a condition ( inclusion 9
 ! ,program1 ! own] ( a rig enroll$ 9 ! 
,program %all be requir$ to--  7#a7     
ma9ta9 an anode sy/em = ! rig2 &  7#b7  
pay into ! ,fund an am\nt equal to #ej  
p]c5t ( ! e/imat$ co/s associat$ ) !    
removal ( ! plat=m t ! own] w\ld h be5  
responsible = if ! own] _h n p>ticipat$ 
9 ! ,program1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4 
7h7 ,reef ma9t5ance fund  7#a7          
,e/abli%m5t ,!re is e/abli%$ 9 !        

,treasury ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates a fund to be
 kn[n z ! ,reef ,ma9t5ance ,fund1 to be 
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y1 to be available
 )\t fiscal ye> limitation & n subject  
to appropriation1 = ! ma9t5ance (       
artificial reefs e/abli%$ "u ! ,program4
  7#b7 ,transf]s to ,fund ,! ,fund %all 
consi/ ( su* am\nts deposit$ 9 ! ,fund  
"u subsection 7g77#b74  7#c7            
,prohibition ,am\nts 9 ! ,fund may n be 
made available = any purpose o!r ?an a  
purpose describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a74  7#d7 
,annual reports  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]  
?an #fj days aft] ! end ( ea* fiscal ye>
 beg9n+ ) fiscal ye> #bjac1 ! ,secret>y 
%all submit to ! ,committee on          
,appropriations ( ! ,h\se (             
,repres5tatives1 ! ,committee on        
,appropriations ( ! ,s5ate1 ! ,committee
 on ,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces ( !     
,s5ate1 & ! ,committee on ,natural      
,res\rces ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a 
report on ! op]ation ( ! ,fund dur+ !   
fiscal ye>4  7,b7 ,cont5ts ,ea* report  
%all include1 = ! fiscal ye> cov]$ by ! 

report1 ! foll[+3  7i7 ,a /atem5t ( !   
am\nts deposit$ into ! ,fund4  7ii7 ,a  
description ( ! exp5ditures made f !    
,fund = ! fiscal ye>1 includ+ ! purpose 
( ! exp5ditures4  7iii7 ,recomm5dations 
= additional au?orities to fulfill !    
purpose ( ! ,fund4  7iv7 ,a /atem5t ( ! 
balance rema9+ 9 ! ,fund at ! end ( !   
fiscal ye>4