Pub. L. 95-372, tit. II, sec. 208

new sections of the outer continental shelf lands act

EnactedYear: 1978Length: 11,191 wordsOfficial source
new sections of the outer continental shelf lands act Sec. 208. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sections: “Sec. 18. Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program.—(a) The Secretary, pursuant to procedures set forth in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, shall prepare and periodically revise, and maintain an oil and gas leasing program to implement the policies of this Act. The leasing program shall consist of a schedule of proposed lease sales indicating, as precisely as possible, the size, timing, and location of leasing activity which he determines will best meet national energy needs for the five-year period following its approval or reapproval. Such leasing program shall be prepared and maintained in a manner consistent with the following principles: 92 STAT. 650 “(1) Management of the outer Continental Shelf shall be conducted in a manner which considers economic, social, and environmental values of the renewable and nonrenewable resources contained in the outer Continental Shelf, and the potential impact of oil and gas exploration on other resource values of the outer Continental Shelf and the marine, coastal, and human environments. “(2) Timing and location of exploration, development, and production of oil and gas among the oil- and gas-bearing physiographic regions of the outer Continental Shelf shall be based on a consideration of— “(A) existing information concerning the geographical, geological, and ecological characteristics of such regions; “(B) an equitable sharing of developmental benefits and environmental risks among the various regions; “(C) the location of such regions with respect to, and the relative needs of, regional and national energy markets; “(D) the location of such regions with respect to other uses of the sea and seabed, including fisheries, navigation, existing or proposed sealanes, potential sites of deepwater ports, and other anticipated uses of the resources and space of the outer Continental Shelf; “(E) the interest of potential oil and gas producers in the development of oil and gas resources as indicated by exploration or nomination; “(F) laws, goals, and policies of affected States which have been specifically identified by the Governors of such States as relevant matters for the Secretary’s consideration; “(G) the relative environmental sensitivity and marine productivity of different areas of the outer Continental Shelf; and “(H) relevant environmental and predictive information for different areas of the outer Continental Shelf. “(3) The Secretary shall select the timing and location of leasing, to the maximum extent practicable, so as to obtain a proper balance between the potential for environmental damage, the potential for the discovery of oil and gas, and the potential for adverse impact on the coastal zone. “(4) Leasing activities shall be conducted to assure receipt of fair market value for the lands leased and the rights conveyed by the Federal Government. “(b) The leasing program shall include estimates of the appropriations and staff required to— “(1) obtain resource information and any other information needed to prepare the leasing program required by this section; “(2) analyze and interpret the exploratory data and any other information which may be compiled under the authority of this Act; “(3) conduct environmental studies and prepare any environmental impact statement required in accordance with this Act and with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)); and “(4) supervise operations conducted pursuant to each lease in the manner necessary to assure due diligence in the exploration and development of the lease area and compliance with the require-92 STAT. 651ments of applicable law and regulations, and with the terms of the lease. “(c)(1) During the preparation of any proposed leasing program under this section, the Secretary shall invite and consider suggestions for such program from any interested Federal agency, including the Attorney General, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, and from the Governor of any State which may become an affected State under such proposed program. The Secretary may also invite or consider any suggestions from the executive of any affected local government in such an affected State, which have been previously submitted to the Governor of such State, and from any other person. “(2) After such preparation and at least sixty days prior to publication of a proposed leasing program in the Federal Register pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit a copy of such proposed program to the Governor of each affected State for review and comment. The Governor may solicit comments from those executives of local governments in his State which he, in his discretion, determines will be affected by the proposed program. If any comment by such Governor is received by the Secretary at least fifteen days prior to submission to the Congress pursuant to such paragraph (3) and includes a request for any modification of such proposed program, the Secretary shall reply in writing, granting or denying such request in whole or in part, or granting such request in such modified form as the Secretary considers appropriate, and stating his reasons therefor. All such correspondence between the Secretary and the Governor of any affected State, together with any additional information and data relating thereto, shall accompany such proposed program when it is submitted to the Congress. “(3) Within nine months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit a proposed leasing program to the Congress, the Attorney General, and the Governors of affected States, and shall publish such proposed program in the Federal Register. Each Governor shall, upon request, submit a copy of the proposed leasing program to the executive of any local government affected by the proposed program. “(d)(1) Within ninety days after the date of publication of a proposed leasing program, the Attorney General may, after consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, submit comments on the anticipated effects of such proposed program upon competition. Any State, local government, or other person may submit comments and recommendations as to any aspect of such proposed program. “(2) At least sixty days prior to approving a proposed leasing program, the Secretary shall submit it to the President and the Congress, together with any comments received. Such submission shall indicate why any specific recommendation of the Attorney General or a State or local government was not accepted. “(3) After the leasing program has been approved by the Secretary, or after eighteen months following the date of enactment of this section, whichever first occurs, no lease shall be issued unless it is for an area included in the approved leasing program and unless it contains provisions consistent with the approved leasing program, except that leasing shall be permitted to continue until such program is approved and for so long thereafter as such program is under judicial or administrative review pursuant to the provisions of this Act. 92 STAT. 652 “(e) The Secretary shall review the leasing program approved under this section at least once each year. He may revise and reapprove such program, at any time, and such revision and reapproval, except in the case of a revision which is not significant, shall be in the same manner as originally developed. “(f) The Secretary shall, by regulation, establish procedures for— “(1) receipt and consideration of nominations for any area to be offered for lease or to be excluded from leasing; “(2) public notice of and participation in development of the leasing program; “(3) review by State and local governments which may be impacted by the proposed leasing; “(4) periodic consultation with State and local governments, oil and gas lessees and permittees, and representatives of other individuals or organizations engaged in activity in or on the outer Continental Shelf, including those involved in fish and shellfish recovery, and recreational activities; and “(5) consideration of the coastal zone management program being developed or administered by an affected coastal State pursuant to section 305 or section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1454, 1455). Such procedures shall be applicable to any significant revision or reapproval of the leasing program. “(g) The Secretary may obtain from public sources, or purchase from private sources, any survey, data, report, or other information (including interpretations of such data, survey, report, or other information) which may be necessary to assist him in preparing any environmental impact statement and in making other evaluations required by this Act. Data of a classified nature provided to the Secretary under the provisions of this subsection shall remain confidential for such period of time as agreed to by the head of the department or agency from whom the information is requested. The Secretary shall maintain the confidentiality of all privileged or proprietary data or information for such period of time as is provided for in this Act, established by regulation, or agreed to by the parties. “(h) The heads of all Federal departments and agencies shall provide the Secretary with any nonprivileged or nonproprietary information he requests to assist him in preparing the leasing program and may provide the Secretary with any privileged or proprietary information he requests to assist him in preparing the leasing program. Privileged or proprietary information provided to the Secretary under the provisions of this subsection shall remain confidential for such period of time as agreed to by the head of the department or agency from whom the information is requested. In addition, the Secretary shall utilize the existing capabilities and resources of such Federal departments and agencies by appropriate agreement. “Sec. 19. Coordination and Consultation With Affected States and Local Governments.—(a) Any Governor of any affected State or the executive of any affected local government in such State may submit recommendations to the Secretary regarding the size, timing, or location of a proposed lease sale or with respect to a proposed development and production plan. Prior to submitting recommendations to the Secretary, the executive of any affected local government in any affected State must forward his recommendations to the Governor of such State. 92 STAT. 653 “(b) Such recommendations shall be submitted within sixty days after notice of such proposed lease sale or after receipt of such development and production plan. “(c) The Secretary shall accept recommendations of the Governor and may accept recommendations of the executive of any affected local government if he determines, after having provided the opportunity for consultation, that they provide for a reasonable balance between the national interest and the well-being of the citizens of the affected State. For purposes of this subsection, a determination of the national interest shall be based on the desirability of obtaining oil and gas supplies in a balanced manner and on the findings, purposes, and policies of this Act. The Secretary shall communicate to the Governor, in writing, the reasons for his determination to accept or reject such Governor’s recommendations, or to implement any alternative means identified in consultation with the Governor to provide for a reasonable balance between the national interest and the well-being of the citizens of the affected State. “(d) The Secretary’s determination that recommendations provide, or do not provide, for a reasonable balance between the national interest and the well-being of the citizens of the affected State shall be final and shall not, alone, be a basis for invalidation of a proposed lease sale or a proposed development and production plan in any suit or judicial review pursuant to section 23 of this Act, unless found to be arbitrary or capricious. “(e) The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with affected States for purposes which are consistent with this Act and other applicable Federal law. Such agreements may include, but need not be limited to, the sharing of information (in accordance with the provisions of section 26 of this Act), the joint utilization of available expertise, the facilitating of permitting procedures, joint planning and review, and the formation of joint surveillance and monitoring arrangements to carry out applicable Federal and State laws, regulations, and stipulations relevant to outer Continental Shelf operations both onshore and offshore. “Sec. 20. Environmental Studies.—(a)(1) The Secretary shall conduct a study of any area or region included in any oil and gas lease sale in order to establish information needed for assessment and management of environmental impacts on the human, marine, and coastal environments of the outer Continental Shelf and the coastal areas which may be affected by oil and gas development in such area or region. “(2) Each study required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be commenced not later than six months after the date of enactment of this section with respect to any area or region where a lease sale has been held or announced by publication of a notice of proposed lease sale before such date of enactment, and not later than six months prior to the holding of a lease sale with respect to any area or region where no lease sale has been held or scheduled before such date of enactment. The Secretary may utilize information collected in any study prior to such date of enactment. “(3) In addition to developing environmental information, any study of an area or region, to the extent practicable, shall be designed to predict impacts on the marine biota which may result from chronic low level pollution or large spills associated with outer Continental Shelf production, from the introduction of drill cuttings and drilling 92 STAT. 654 muds in the area, and from the laying of pipe to serve the offshore production area, and the impacts of development offshore on the affected and coastal areas. “(b) Subsequent to the leasing and developing of any area or region, the Secretary shall conduct such additional studies to establish environmental information as he deems necessary and shall monitor the human, marine, and coastal environments of such area or region in a manner designed to provide time-series and data trend information which can be used for comparison with any previously collected data for the purpose of identifying any significant changes in the quality and productivity of such environments, for establishing trends in the areas studied and monitored, and for designing experiments to identify the causes of such changes. “(c) The Secretary shall, by regulation, establish procedures for carrying out his duties under this section, and shall plan and carry out such duties in full cooperation with affected States. To the extent that other Federal agencies have prepared environmental impact statements, are conducting studies, or are monitoring the affected human, marine, or coastal environment, the Secretary may utilize the information derived therefrom in lieu of directly conducting such activities. The Secretary may also utilize information obtained from any State or local government, or from any person, for the purposes of this section. For the purpose of carrying out his responsibilities under this section, the Secretary may by agreement utilize, with or without reimbursement, the services, personnel, or facilities of any Federal, State, or local government agency. “(d) The Secretary shall consider available relevant environmental information in making decisions (including those relating to exploration plans, drilling permits, and development and production plans), in developing appropriate regulations and lease conditions, and in issuing operating orders. “(e) As soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress and make available to the general public an assessment of the cumulative effect of activities conducted under this Act on the human, marine, and coastal environments. “(f) In executing his responsibilities under this section, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, enter into appropriate arrangements to utilize on a reimbursable basis the capabilities of the Department of Commerce. In carrying out such arrangements, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to enter into contracts or grants with any person, organization, or entity with funds appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to this Act. “Sec. 21. Safety Regulations.—(a) Upon the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall, in consultation with each other and, as appropriate, with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, promptly commence a joint study of the adequacy of existing safety and health regulations and of the technology, equipment, and techniques available for the exploration, development, and production of the minerals of the outer Continental Shelf. The results of such study shall be submitted to the President who shall submit a plan to the Congress of his proposals to promote safety and health in the exploration, development, and production of the minerals of the outer Continental Shelf. 92 STAT. 655 “(b) In exercising their respective responsibilities for the artificial islands, installations, and other devices referred to in section 4(a)(1) of this Act, the Secretary, and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, shall require, on all new drilling and production operations and, wherever practicable, on existing operations, the use of the best available and safest technologies which the Secretary determines to be economically feasible, wherever failure of equipment would have a significant effect on safety, health, or the environment, except where the Secretary determines that the incremental benefits are clearly insufficient to justify the incremental costs of utilizing such technologies. “(c) The Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall promulgate regulations or standards applying to unregulated hazardous working conditions related to activities on the outer Continental Shelf when he determines such regulations or standards are necessary. The Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating may from time to time modify any regulations, interim or final, dealing with hazardous working conditions on the outer Continental Shelf. “(d) Nothing in this Act shall affect the authority provided by law to the Secretary of Labor for the protection of occupational safety and health, the authority provided by law to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for the protection of the environment, or the authority provided by law to the Secretary of Transportation with respect to pipeline safety. “(e) The Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, and the Director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, shall conduct studies of underwater diving techniques and equipment suitable for protection of human safety and improvement of diver performance. Such studies shall include, but need not be limited to, decompression and excursion table development and improvement and all aspects of diver physiological restraints and protective gear for exposure to hostile environments. “(f)(1) In administering the provisions of this section, the Secretary shall consult and coordinate with the heads of other appropriate Federal departments and agencies for purposes of assuring that, to the maximum extent practicable, inconsistent or duplicative requirements are not imposed. “(2) The Secretary shall make available to any interested person a compilation of all safety and other regulations which are prepared and promulgated by any Federal department or agency and applicable to activities on the outer Continental Shelf. Such compilation shall be revised and updated annually. “Sec. 22. Enforcement.—(a) The Secretary, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, and the Secretary of the Army shall enforce safety and environmental regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act. Each such Federal department may by agreement utilize, with or without reimbursement, the services, personnel, or facilities of other Federal departments and agencies for the enforcement of their respective regulations. “(b) It shall be the duty of any holder of a lease or permit under this Act to— “(1) maintain all places of employment within the lease area or within the area covered by such permit in compliance with 92 STAT. 656 occupational safety and health standards and, in addition, free from recognized hazards to employees of the lease holder or permit holder or of any contractor or subcontractor operating within such lease area or within the area covered by such permit on the outer Continental Shelf; “(2) maintain all operations within such lease area or within the area covered by such permit in compliance with regulations intended to protect persons, property, and the environment on the outer Continental Shelf; and “(3) allow prompt access, at the site of any operation subject to safety regulations, to any inspector, and to provide such documents and records which are pertinent to occupational or public health, safety, or environmental protection, as may be requested. “(c) The Secretary and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall individually, or jointly if they so agree, promulgate regulations to provide for— “(1) scheduled onsite inspection, at least once a year, of each facility on the outer Continental Shelf which is subject to any environmental or safety regulation promulgated pursuant to this Act, which inspection shall include all safety equipment designed to prevent or ameliorate blowouts, fires, spillages, or other major accidents; and “(2) periodic onsite inspection without advance notice to the operator of such facility to assure compliance with such environmental or safety regulations. “(d)(1) The Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall make an investigation and public report on each major fire and each major oil spillage occurring as a result of operations conducted pursuant to this Act, and may, in his discretion, make an investigation and report of lesser oil spillages. For purposes of this subsection, a major oil spillage is any spillage in one instance of more than two hundred barrels of oil during a period of thirty days. All holders of leases or permits issued or maintained under this Act shall cooperate with the appropriate Secretary in the course of any such investigation. “(2) The Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall make an investigation and public report on any death or serious injury occurring as a result of operations conducted pursuant to this Act, and may, in his discretion, make an investigation and report of any injury. For purposes of this subsection, a serious injury is one resulting in substantial impairment of any bodily unit or function. All holders of leases or permits issued or maintained under this Act shall cooperate with the appropriate Secretary in the course of any such investigation. “(e) The Secretary, or, in the case of occupational safety and health, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, may review any allegation from any person of the existence of a violation of a safety regulation issued under this Act. “(f) In any investigation conducted pursuant to this section, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall have power to summon witnesses and to require the production of books, papers, documents, and any other evidence. Attendance of witnesses or the production of books, papers, documents, or any other evidence shall be compelled by a similar process, as in the district courts of the United States. Such Secretary, or his 92 STAT. 657 designee, shall administer all necessary oaths to any witnesses summoned before such investigation. “(g) The Secretary shall, after consultation with the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, include in his annual report to the Congress required by section 15 of this Act the number of violations of safety regulations reported or alleged, any investigations undertaken, the results of such investigations, and any administrative or judicial action taken as a result of such investigations, and the results of the diving studies conducted under section 21(e) of this Act. “Sec. 23. Citizen Suits, Court Jurisdiction, and Judicial Review.—(a)(1) Except as provided in this section, any person having a valid legal interest which is or may be adversely affected may commence a civil action on his own behalf to compel compliance with this Act against any person, including the United States, and any other government instrumentality or agency (to the extent permitted by the eleventh amendment to the Constitution) for any alleged violation of any provision of this Act or any regulation promulgated under this Act, or of the terms of any permit or lease issued by the Secretary under this Act. “(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, no action may be commenced under subsection (a)(1) of this section— “(A) prior to sixty days after the plaintiff has given notice of the alleged violation, in writing under oath, to the Secretary and any other appropriate Federal official, to the State in which the violation allegedly occurred or is occurring, and to any alleged violator; or “(B) if the Attorney General has commenced and is diligently prosecuting a civil action in a court of the United States or a State with respect to such matter, but in any such action in a court of the United States any person having a legal interest which is or may be adversely affected may intervene as a matter of right. “(3) An action may be brought under this subsection immediately after notification of the alleged violation in any case in which the alleged violation constitutes an imminent threat to the public health or safety or would immediately affect a legal interest of the plaintiff. “(4) In any action commenced pursuant to this section, the Attorney General, upon the request of the Secretary or any other appropriate Federal official, may intervene as a matter of right. “(5) A court, in issuing any final order in any action brought pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or subsection (c) of this section, may award costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees, to any party, whenever such court determines such award is appropriate. The court may, if a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction is sought, require the filing of a bond or equivalent security in a sufficient amount to compensate for any loss or damage suffered, in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. “(6) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, all suits challenging actions or decisions allegedly in violation of, or seeking enforcement of, the provisions of this Act, or any regulation promulgated under this Act, or the terms of any permit or lease issued by the Secretary under this Act, shall be undertaken in accordance with the procedures described in this subsection. Nothing in this section shall restrict any right which any person or class of persons may have under any other Act or common law to seek appropriate relief. “(b)(1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction of cases and 92 STAT. 658 controversies arising out of, or in connection with (A) any operation conducted on the outer Continental Shelf which involves exploration, development, or production of the minerals, of the subsoil and seabed of the outer Continental Shelf, or which involves rights to such minerals, or (B) the cancellation, suspension, or termination of a lease or permit under this Act. Proceedings with respect to any such case or controversy may be instituted in the judicial district in which any defendant resides or may be found, or in the judicial district of the State nearest the place the cause of action arose. “(2) Any resident of the United States who is injured in any manner through the failure of any operator to comply with any rule, regulation, order, or permit issued pursuant to this Act may bring an action for damages (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) only in the judicial district having jurisdiction under paragraph (1) of this subsection. “(c)(1) Any action of the Secretary to approve a leasing program pursuant to section 18 of this Act shall be subject to judicial review only in the United States Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia. “(2) Any action of the Secretary to approve, require modification of, or disapprove any exploration plan or any development and production plan under this Act shall be subject to judicial review only in a United States court of appeals for a circuit in which an affected State is located. “(3) The judicial review specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall be available only to a person who (A) participated in the administrative proceedings related to the actions specified in such paragraphs, (B) is adversely affected or aggrieved by such action, (C) files a petition for review of the Secretary’s action within sixty days after the date of such action, and (D) promptly transmits copies of the petition to the Secretary and to the Attorney General. “(4) Any action of the Secretary specified in paragraph (1) or (2) shall only be subject to review pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, and shall be specifically excluded from citizen suits which are permitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. “(5) The Secretary shall file in the appropriate court the record of any public hearings required by this Act and any additional information upon which the Secretary based his decision, as required by section 2112 of title 28, United States Code. Specific objections to the action of the Secretary shall be considered by the court only if the issues upon which such objections are based have been submitted to the Secretary during the administrative proceedings related to the actions involved. “(6) The court of appeals conducting a proceeding pursuant to this subsection shall consider the matter under review solely on the record made before the Secretary. The findings of the Secretary, if supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole, shall be conclusive. The court may affirm, vacate, or modify any order or decision or may remand the proceedings to the Secretary for such further action as it may direct. “(7) Upon the filing of the record with the court, pursuant to paragraph (5), the jurisdiction of the court shall be exclusive and its judgment shall be final, except that such judgment shall be subject to review by the Supreme Court of the United States upon writ of certiorari. 92 STAT. 659 “(d) Except as to causes of action which the court considers of greater importance, any action under this section shall take precedence on the docket over all other causes of action and shall be set for hearing at the earliest practical date and expedited in every way. “Sec. 24. Remedies and Penalties.—(a) At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Army, or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, the Attorney General or a United States attorney shall institute a civil action in the district court of the United States for the district in which the affected operation is located for a temporary restraining order, injunction, or other appropriate remedy to enforce any provision of this Act, any regulation or order issued under this Act, or any term of a lease, license, or permit issued pursuant to this Act. “(b) If any person fails to comply with any provision of this Act, or any term of a lease, license, or permit issued pursuant to this Act, or any regulation or order issued under this Act, after notice of such failure and expiration of any reasonable period allowed for corrective action, such person shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each day of the continuance of such failure. The Secretary may assess, collect, and compromise any such penalty. No penalty shall be assessed until the person charged with a violation has been given an opportunity for a hearing. “(c) Any person who knowingly and willfully (1) violates any provision of this Act, any term of a lease, license, or permit issued pursuant to this Act, or any regulation or order issued under the authority of this Act designed to protect health, safety, or the environment or conserve natural resources, (2) makes any false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this Act, (3) falsifies, tampers with, or renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method of record required to be maintained under this Act, or (4) reveals any data or information required to be kept confidential by this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $100,000, or by imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both. Each day that a violation under clause (1) of this subsection continues, or each day that any monitoring device or data recorder remains inoperative or inaccurate because of any activity described in clause (3) of this subsection, shall constitute a separate violation. “(d) Whenever a corporation or other entity is subject to prosecution under subsection (c) of this section, any officer or agent of such corporation or entity who knowingly and willfully authorized, ordered, or carried out the prescribed activity shall be subject to the same fines or imprisonment, or both, as provided for under subsection (c) of this section. “(e) The remedies and penalties prescribed in this Act shall be concurrent and cumulative and the exercise of one shall not preclude the exercise of the others. Further, the remedies and penalties prescribed in this Act shall be in addition to any other remedies and penalties afforded by any other law or regulation. “Sec. 25. Oil and Gas Development and Production.—(a)(1) Prior to development and production pursuant to an oil and gas lease issued after the date of enactment of this section in any area of the outer Continental Shelf, other than the Gulf of Mexico, or issued or maintained prior to such date of enactment in any area of the outer Continental Shelf, other than the Gulf of Mexico, with respect to which no 92 STAT. 660 oil or gas has been discovered in paying quantities prior to such date of enactment, the lessee shall submit a development and production plan (hereinafter in this section referred to as a ‘plan’) to the Secretary, for approval pursuant to this section. “(2) A plan shall be accompanied by a statement describing all facilities and operations, other than those on the outer Continental Shelf, proposed by the lessee and known by him (whether or not owned or operated by such lessee) which will be constructed or utilized in the development and production of oil or gas from the lease area, including the location and site of such facilities and operations, the land, labor, material, and energy requirements associated with such facilities and operations, and all environmental and safety safeguards to be implemented. “(3) Except for any privileged or proprietary information (as such term is defined in regulations issued by the Secretary), the Secretary, within ten days after receipt of a plan and statement, shall (A) submit such plan and statement to the Governor of any affected State, and, upon request, to the executive of any affected local government, and (B) make such plan and statement available to any appropriate interstate regional entity and the public. “(b) After the date of enactment of this section, no oil and gas lease may be issued pursuant to this Act in any region of the outer Continental Shelf, other than the Gulf of Mexico, unless such lease requires that development and production activities be carried out in accordance with a plan which complies with the requirements of this section. “(c) A plan may apply to more than one oil and gas lease, and shall set forth, in the degree of detail established by regulations issued by the Secretary— “(1) the specific work to be performed; “(2) a description of all facilities and operations located on the outer Continental Shelf which are proposed by the lessee or known by him (whether or not owned or operated by such lessee) to be directly related to the proposed development, including the location and size of such facilities and operations, and the land, labor, material, and energy requirements associated with such facilities and operations; “(3) the environmental safeguards to be implemented on the outer Continental Shelf and how such safeguards are to be implemented; “(4) all safety standards to be met and how such standards are to be met; “(5) an expected rate of development and production and a time schedule for performance; and “(6) such other relevant information as the Secretary may by regulation require. “(d) The Secretary shall not grant any license or permit for any activity described in detail in a plan and affecting any land use or water use in the coastal zone of a State with a coastal zone management program approved pursuant to section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1455), unless the State concurs or is conclusively presumed to concur with the consistency certification accompanying such plan pursuant to section 307(c)(3)(B)(i) or (ii) of such Act, or the Secretary of Commerce makes the finding authorized by section 307(c)(3)(B)(iii) of such Act. 92 STAT. 661 “(e)(1) At least once the Secretary shall declare the approval of a development and production plan in any area or region (as defined by the Secretary) of the outer Continental Shelf, other than the Gulf of Mexico, to be a major Federal action. “(2) The Secretary may require lessees of tracts for which development and production plans have not been approved, to submit preliminary or final plans for their leases, prior to or immediately after a determination by the Secretary that the procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 shall commence. “(f) If approval of a development and production plan is found to be a major Federal action, the Secretary shall transmit the draft environmental impact statement to the Governor of any affected State, and upon request, to the executive of any local government, and shall make such draft available to any appropriate interstate regional entity and the public. “(g) If approval of a development and production plan is not found to be a major Federal action, the Governor of any affected State and the executive of any affected local government shall have sixty days from the date of receipt of the plan from the Secretary to submit comments and recommendations. Prior to submitting recommendations to the Secretary, the executive of any affected local government must forward his recommendations to the Governor of his State. Such comments and recommendations shall be made available to the public upon request. In addition, any interested person may submit comments and recommendations. “(h)(1) After reviewing the record of any public hearing held with respect to the approval of a plan pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 or the comments and recommendations submitted under subsection (f) of this section, the Secretary shall, within sixty days after the release of the final environmental impact statement prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 in accordance with subsection (e) of this section, or sixty days after the period provided for comment under subsection (f) of this section, approve, disapprove, or require modifications of the plan. The Secretary shall require modification of a plan if he determines that the lessee has failed to make adequate provision in such plan for safe operations on the lease area or for protection of the human, marine, or coastal environment, including compliance with the regulations prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (8) of section 5(a) of this Act. Any modification required by the Secretary which involves activities for which a Federal license or permit is required and which affects any land use or water use in the coastal zone of a State with a coastal zone management program approved pursuant to section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1455) must receive concurrence by such State with respect to the consistency certification accompanying such plan pursuant to section 307(c)(3)(B)(i) or (ii) of such Act unless the Secretary of Commerce makes the finding authorized by section 307(c)(3)(B)(iii) of such Act. The Secretary shall disapprove a plan— “(A) if the lessee fails to demonstrate that he can comply with the requirements of this Act or other applicable Federal law, including the regulations prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (8) of section 5(a) of this Act; “(B) if any of the activities described in detail in the plan for which a Federal license or permit is required and which affects 92 STAT. 662 any land use or water use in the coastal zone of a State with a coastal zone management program approved pursuant to section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1455) do not receive concurrence by such State with respect to the consistency certification accompanying such plan pursuant to section 307(c)(3)(B)(i) or (ii) of such Act and the Secretary of Commerce does not make the finding authorized by section 307(c)(3)(B)(iii) of such Act; “(C) if operations threaten national security or national defense; or “(D) if the Secretary determines, because of exceptional geological conditions in the lease areas, exceptional resource values in the marine or coastal environment, or other exceptional circumstances, that (i) implementation of the plan would probably cause serious harm or damage to life (including fish and other aquatic life), to property, to any mineral deposits (in areas leased or not leased), to the national security or defense, or to the marine, coastal or human environments, (ii) the threat of harm or damage will not disappear or decrease to an acceptable extent within a reasonable period of time, and (iii) the advantages of disapproving the plan outweigh the advantages of development and production. “(2)(A) If a plan is disapproved— “(i) under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1); or “(ii) under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) with respect to a lease issued after approval of a coastal zone management program pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1455), the lessee shall not be entitled to compensation because of such disapproval. “(B) If a plan is disapproved— “(i) under subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (1); or “(ii) under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) with respect to a lease issued before approval of a coastal zone management program pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, and such approval occurs after the lessee has submitted a plan to the Secretary, the term of the lease shall be duly extended, and at any time within five years after such disapproval, the lessee may reapply for approval of the same or a modified plan, and the Secretary shall approve, disapprove, or require modifications of such plan in accordance with this subsection. “(C) Upon expiration of the five-year period described in paragraph (2) of this subsection, or, in the Secretary’s discretion, at an earlier time upon request of a lessee, if the Secretary has not approved a plan, the Secretary shall cancel the lease and the lessee shall be entitled to receive compensation in accordance with section 5(a)(2)(C) of this Act. The Secretary may, at any time within the five-year period described in paragraph (2) of this subsection, require the lessee to submit a development and production plan for approval, disapproval, or modification. If the lessee fails to submit a required plan expeditiously and in good faith, the Secretary shall find that the lessee has not been duly diligent in pursuing his obligations under the lease, and shall immediately initiate procedures to cancel such lease, without compensation, under the provisions of section 5(c) of this Act. 92 STAT. 663 “(3) The Secretary shall, from time to time, review each plan approved under this section. Such review shall be based upon changes in available information and other onshore or offshore conditions affecting or impacted by development and production pursuant to such plan. If the review indicates that the plan should be revised to meet the requirements of this subsection, the Secretary shall require such revision. “(i) The Secretary may approve any revision of an approved plan proposed by the lessee if he determines that such revision will lead to greater recovery of oil and natural gas, improve the efficiency, safety, and environmental protection of the recovery operation, is the only means available to avoid substantial economic hardship to the lessee, or is otherwise not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, to the extent such revision is consistent with protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments. Any revision of an approved plan which the Secretary determines is significant shall be reviewed in accordance with subsections (d) through (f) of this section. “(j) Whenever the owner of any lease fails to submit a plan in accordance with regulations issued under this section, or fails to comply with an approved plan, the lease may be canceled in accordance with sections 5 (c) and (d). Termination of a lease because of failure to comply with an approved plan, including required modifications or revisions, shall not entitle a lessee to any compensation. “(k) If any development and production plan submitted to the Secretary pursuant to this section provides for the production and transportation of natural gas, the lessee shall contemporaneously submit to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that portion of such plan which relates to production of natural gas and the facilities for transportation of natural gas. The Secretary and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall agree as to which of them shall prepare an environmental impact statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 applicable to such portion of such plan, or conduct studies as to the effect on the environment of implementing it. Thereafter, the findings and recommendations by the agency preparing such environmental impact statement or conducting such studies pursuant to such agreement shall be adopted by the other agency, and such other agency shall not independently prepare another environmental impact statement or duplicate such studies with respect to such portion of such plan, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in connection with its review of an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity applicable to such transportation facilities pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717), may prepare such environmental studies or statement relevant to certification of such transportation facilities as have not been covered by an environmental impact statement or studies prepared by the Secretary. The Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, shall promulgate rules to implement this subsection, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall retain sole authority with respect to rules and procedures applicable to the filing of any application with the Commission and to all aspects of the Commission’s review of, and action on, any such application. “(l) The Secretary may require the provisions of this section to apply to an oil and gas lease issued or maintained under this Act, which is located in that area of the Gulf of Mexico which is adjacent 92 STAT. 664 to the State of Florida, as determined pursuant to section 4(a)(2) of this Act. “Sec. 26. Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Information Program.—(a)(1)(A) Any lessee or permittee conducting any exploration for, or development or production of, oil or gas pursuant to this Act shall provide the Secretary access to all data and information (including processed, analyzed, and interpreted information) obtained from such activity and shall provide copies of such data and information as the Secretary may request. Such data and information shall be provided in accordance with regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe. “(B) If an interpretation provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph is made in good faith by the lessee or permittee, such lessee or permittee shall not be held responsible for any consequence of the use of or reliance upon such interpretation. “(C) Whenever any data and information is provided to the Secretary, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph— “(i) by a lessee, in the form and manner of processing which is utilized by such lessee in the normal conduct of his business, the Secretary shall pay the reasonable cost of reproducing such data and information; “(ii) by a lessee, in such other form and manner of processing as the Secretary may request, the Secretary shall pay the reasonable cost of processing and reproducing such data and information; “(iii) by a permittee, in the form and manner of processing which is utilized by such permittee in the normal conduct of his business, the Secretary shall pay such permittee the reasonable cost of reproducing such data and information for the Secretary and shall pay at the lowest rate available to any purchaser for processing such data and information the costs attributable to such processing; and “(iv) by a permittee, in such other form and manner of processing as the Secretary may request, the Secretary shall pay such permittee the reasonable cost of processing and reproducing such data and information for the Secretary, pursuant to such regulations as he may prescribe. “(2) Each Federal department and agency shall provide the Secretary with any data obtained by such Federal department or agency pursuant to section 11 of this Act, and any other information which may be necessary or useful to assist him in carrying out the provisions of this Act. “(b)(1) Data and information provided to the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be processed, analyzed, and interpreted by the Secretary for purposes of carrying out his duties under this Act. “(2) As soon as practicable after information provided to the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a) of this section is processed, analyzed, and interpreted, the Secretary shall make available to the affected States, and upon request, to any affected local government, a summary of data designed to assist them in planning for the onshore impacts of possible oil and gas development and production. Such summary shall include estimates of (A) the oil and gas reserves in areas leased or to be leased, (B) the size and timing of development if and when oil or 92 STAT. 665 gas, or both, is found, (C) the location of pipelines, and (D) the general location and nature of onshore facilities. “(c) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to (1) assure that the confidentiality of privileged or proprietary information received by the Secretary under this section will be maintained, and (2) set forth the time periods and conditions which shall be applicable to the release of such information. Such regulations shall include a provision that no such information will be transmitted to any affected State unless the lessee, or the permittee and all persons to whom such permittee has sold such information under promise of confidentiality, agree to such transmittal. “(d)(1) The Secretary shall transmit to any affected State— “(A) an index, and upon request copies of, all relevant actual or proposed programs, plans, reports, environmental impact statements, tract nominations (including negative nominations) and other lease sale information, any similar type of relevant information, and all modifications and revisions thereof and comments thereon, prepared or obtained by the Secretary pursuant to this Act, but no information transmitted by the Secretary under this subsection shall identify any particular tract with the name or names of any particular party so as not to compromise the competitive position of any party or parties participating in the nominations; “(B)(i) the summary of data prepared by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b)(2) of this section, and (ii) any other processed, analyzed, or interpreted data prepared by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of this section, unless the Secretary determines that transmittal of such data prepared pursuant to such subsection (b)(1) would unduly damage the competitive position of the lessee or permittee who provided the Secretary with the information which the Secretary had processed, analyzed, or interpreted; and “(C) any relevant information received by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, subject to any applicable requirements as to confidentiality which are set forth in regulations prescribed under subsection (c) of this section. “(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any regulation required pursuant to the second sentence of subsection (c) of this section, the Governor of any affected State may designate an appropriate State official to inspect, at a regional location which the Secretary shall designate, any privileged information received by the Secretary regarding any activity adjacent to such State, except that no such inspection shall take place prior to the sale of a lease covering the area in which such activity was conducted. Knowledge obtained by such State during such inspection shall be subject to applicable requirements as to confidentiality which are set forth in regulations prescribed under subsection (c) of this section. “(e) Prior to transmitting any privileged information to any State, or granting such State access to such information, the Secretary shall enter into a written agreement with the Governor of such State in which such State agrees, as a condition precedent to receiving or being granted access to such information, to waive the defenses set forth in subsection (f)(2) of this section, and to hold the United States harmless from any violations of the regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (c) that the State or its employees may commit. 92 STAT. 666 “(f)(1) Whenever any employee of the Federal Government or of any State reveals information in violation of the regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the lessee or permittee who supplied such information to the Secretary or to any other Federal official, and any person to whom such lessee or permittee has sold such information under promise of confidentiality, may commence a civil action for damages in the appropriate district court of the United States against the Federal Government or such State, as the case may be. “(2) In any action commenced against the Federal Government or a State pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Federal Government or such State, as the case may be, may not raise as a defense (A) any claim of sovereign immunity, or (B) any claim that the employee who revealed the privileged information which is the basis of such suit was acting outside the scope of his employment in revealing such information. “(g) Any provision of State or local law which provides for public access to any privileged information received or obtained by any person pursuant to this Act is expressly preempted by the provisions of this section, to the extent that it applies to such information. “(h) If the Secretary finds that any State cannot or does not comply with the regulations issued under subsection (c) of this section, he shall thereafter withhold transmittal and deny inspection of privileged information to such State until he finds that such State can and will comply with such regulations. “Sec. 27. Federal Purchase and Disposition of Oil and Gas.—(a)(1) Except as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of sections 6 and 7 of this Act, all royalties or net profit shares, or both, accruing to the United States under any oil and gas lease issued or maintained in accordance with this Act, shall, on demand of the Secretary, be paid in oil or gas. “(2) The United States shall have the right to purchase not to exceed 16⅔ per centum by volume of the oil and gas produced pursuant to a lease issued or maintained in accordance with this Act, at the regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, at the fair market value at the well head of the oil and gas saved, removed, or sold, except that any oil or gas obtained by the United States as royalty or net profit share shall be credited against the amount that may be purchased under this subsection. “(3) Title to any royalty, net profit share, or purchased oil or gas may be transferred, upon request, by the Secretary to the Secretary of Defense, to the Administrator of the General Services Administration, or to the Secretary of Energy, for disposal within the Federal Government. “(b)(1) The Secretary, except as provided in this subsection, may offer to the public and sell by competitive bidding for not more than its regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, not less than its fair market value, any part of the oil (A) obtained by the United States pursuant to any lease as royalty or net profit share, or (B) purchased by the United States pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section. “(2) Whenever, after consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary determines that small refiners do not have access to adequate supplies of oil at equitable prices, the Secretary may dispose of any oil which is taken as a royalty or net profit share accruing or 92 STAT. 667 reserved to the United States pursuant to any lease issued or maintained under this Act, or purchased by the United States pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section, by conducting a lottery for the sale of such oil, or may equitably allocate such oil among the competitors for the purchase of such oil, at the regulated price, or if no regulated price applies, at its fair market value. The Secretary shall limit participation in any allocation or lottery sale to assure such access and shall publish notice of such allocation or sale, and the terms thereof, at least thirty days in advance. Such notice shall include qualifications for participation, the amount of oil to be sold, and any limitation in the amount of oil which any participant may be entitled to purchase. “(3) The Secretary may only sell or otherwise dispose of oil described in paragraph (1) of this subsection in accordance with any provision of law, or regulations issued in accordance with such provisions, which provide for the Secretary of Energy to allocate, transfer, exchange, or sell oil in amounts or at prices determined by such provision of law or regulations. “(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary, pursuant to such terms as he determines, may offer to the public and sell by competitive bidding for not more than its regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, not less than its fair market value any part of the gas (A) obtained by the United States pursuant to a lease as royalty or net profit share, or (B) purchased by the United States pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section. “(2) Whenever, after consultation with and advice from the Secretary of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission determines that an emergency shortage of natural gas is threatening to cause severe economic or social dislocation in any region of the United States and that such region can be serviced in a practical, feasible, and efficient manner by royalty, net profit share, or purchased gas obtained pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the Interior may allocate or conduct a lottery for the sale of such gas, and shall limit participation in any allocation or lottery sale of such gas to any person servicing such region, but he shall not sell any such gas for more than its regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, less than its fair market value. Prior to selling or allocating any gas pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. “(d) The lessee shall take any Federal oil or gas for which no acceptable bids are received, as determined by the Secretary, and which is not transferred pursuant to subsection (a)(3) of this section, and shall pay to the United States a cash amount equal to the regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, the fair market value of the oil or gas so obtained. “(e) As used in this section— “(1) the term ‘regulated price’ means the highest price— “(A) at which oil may be sold pursuant to the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 and any rule or order issued under such Act; “(B) at which natural gas may be sold to natural-gas companies pursuant to the Natural Gas Act, any other Act, regulations governing natural gas pricing, or any rule or order issued under any such Act or any such regulations; or “(C) at which either Federal oil or gas may be sold under any other provision of law or rule or order thereunder which 92 STAT. 668 sets a price (or manner for determining a price) for oil or gas; and “(2) the term ‘small refiner’ has the meaning given such term by Small Business Administration Standards 128.3–8 (d) and (g), as in effect on the date of enactment of this section or as thereafter revised or amended. “(f) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the right of the United States to purchase any oil or gas produced on the outer Continental Shelf as provided by section 12(b) of this Act. “Sec. 28. Limitation on Export.—(a) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any oil or gas produced from the outer Continental Shelf shall be subject to the requirements and provisions of the Export Administration Act of 1969 (50 App. U.S.C. 2401 et seq.). “(b) Before any oil or gas subject to this section may be exported under the requirements and provisions of the Export Administration Act of 1969, the President shall make and publish an express finding that such exports will not increase reliance on imported oil or gas, are in the national interest, and are in accord with the provisions of the Export Administration Act of 1969. “(c) The President shall submit reports to the Congress containing findings made under this section, and after the date of receipt of such report Congress shall have a period of sixty calendar days, thirty days of which Congress must have been in session, to consider whether exports under the terms of this section are in the national interest. If the Congress within such time period passes a concurrent resolution of disapproval stating disagreement with the President's finding concerning the national interest, further exports made pursuant to such Presidential findings shall cease. “(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any oil or gas which is either exchanged in similar quantity for convenience or increased efficiency of transportation with persons or the government of a foreign state, or which is temporarily exported for convenience or increased efficiency of transportation across parts of an adjacent foreign state and reenters the United States, or which is exchanged or exported pursuant to an existing international agreement. “Sec. 29. Restrictions on Employment.—No full-time officer or employee of the Department of the Interior who directly or indirectly discharged duties or responsibilities under this Act, and who was at any time during the twelve months preceding the termination of his employment with the Department compensated under the Executive Schedule or compensated at or above the annual rate of basic pay for grade GS–16 of the General Schedule shall— “(1) within two years after his employment with the Department has ceased— “(A) knowingly act as agent or attorney for, or otherwise represent, any other person (except the United States) in any formal or informal appearance before; “(B) with the intent to influence, make any oral or written communication on behalf of any other person (except the United States) to; or “(C) knowingly aid or assist in representing any other person (except the United States) in any formal or informal appearance before, any department, agency, or court of the United States, or any officer or employee thereof, in connection with any judicial or 92 STAT. 669 other proceeding, application, request for a ruling or other determination, regulation, order, lease, permit, rulemaking, or other particular matter involving a specific party or parties in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest which was actually pending under his official responsibility as an officer or employee within a period of one year prior to the termination of such responsibility or in which he participated personally and substantially as an officer or employee; or “(2) within one year after his employment with the Department has ceased— “(A) knowingly act as agent or attorney for, or otherwise represent, any other person (except the United States) in any formal or informal appearance before; or “(B) with the intent to influence, make any oral or written communication on behalf of any other person (except the United States) to, the Department of the Interior, or any officer or employee thereof, in connection with any judicial, rulemaking, regulation, order, lease, permit, regulation, or other particular matter which is pending before the Department of the Interior or in which the Department has a direct and substantial interest. “Sec. 30. Documentation, Registry, and Manning Requirements.—(a) Within six months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue regulations which require that any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure— “(1) which is used at any time after the one-year period beginning on the effective date of such regulations for activities pursuant to this Act and which is built or rebuilt at any time after such one-year period, when required to be documented by the laws of the United States, be documented under the laws of the United States; “(2) which is used for activities pursuant to this Act, comply, except as provided in subsection (b), with such minimum standards of design, construction, alteration, and repair as the Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating establishes; and “(3) which is used at any time after the one-year period beginning on the effective date of such regulations for activities pursuant to this Act, be manned or crewed, except as provided in subsection (c), by citizens of the United States or aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. “(b) The regulations issued under subsection (a)(2) of this section shall not apply to any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure built prior to the date of enactment of this section, until such time after such date as such vehicle or structure is rebuilt. “(c) The regulations issued under subsection (a)(3) of this section shall not apply— “(1) to any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure if— “(A) specific contractual provisions or national registry manning requirements in effect on the date of enactment of this section provide to the contrary; “(B) there are not a sufficient number of citizens of the United States, or aliens lawfully admitted to the United 92 STAT. 670 States for permanent residence, qualified and available for such work; or “(C) the President makes a specific finding, with respect to the particular vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure, that application would not be consistent with the national interest; and “(2) to any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure, over 50 percent of which is owned by citizens of a foreign nation or with respect to which the citizens of a foreign nation have the right effectively to control, except to the extent and to the degree that the President determines that the government of such foreign nation or any of its political subdivisions has implemented, by statute, regulation, policy, or practice, a national manning requirement for equipment engaged in the exploration, development, or production of oil and gas in its offshore areas.”.
Pub. L. 95-372, tit. II, sec. 208: new sections of the outer continental shelf lands act | Justis AI