S. 665 — Introduced in Senate

II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 665 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 15, 2017 Mr. Cassidy (for himself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Cochran) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize additional lease sales to be added to an approved 5-year leasing program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Unleashing American Energy Act of 2017. 2. Addition of lease sales to 5-year leasing program Section 18(d) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344(d)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3), by striking After and all that follows through first occurs, and inserting Except as provided in paragraph (4), after the leasing program has been approved by the Secretary,; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (4) Inclusion of additional lease sales (A) In general As the Secretary determines to be appropriate and subject to the considerations required under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary may include in an approved leasing program additional lease sales to be conducted under the approved leasing program. (B) Revision not required The inclusion of any additional lease sales under subparagraph (A) shall not be considered to be a significant revision requiring reapproval of the approved leasing program under subsection (e). (C) Applicable law (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), an individual lease sale added to an approved leasing program under subparagraph (A) shall be considered to be a major Federal action for purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)). (ii) Gulf of Mexico areas An individual lease sale added to an approved leasing program covering the Gulf of Mexico Region of the outer Continental Shelf shall not be considered to be a major Federal action for purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)). .