Bill > HR2865

This bill, known as the "New England Coastal Protection Act of 2025," seeks to prohibit all oil and gas leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) along the coastlines of five New England states: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Specifically, the bill amends Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prevent the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any leases for oil or natural gas exploration, development, or production in these offshore areas, regardless of existing laws or provisions. The Outer Continental Shelf refers to submerged lands beyond state territorial waters that are owned by the federal government and potentially available for resource extraction. By implementing this prohibition, the bill aims to protect the marine environment and coastal ecosystems of the New England region from potential environmental risks associated with offshore drilling, while also potentially preserving the area's marine resources and coastal economies that could be impacted by oil and gas development.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2865/all-info