Florida Coastal Protection Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 2673 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2673 To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production in certain areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Florida, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 7, 2025 Ms. Castor of Florida (for herself, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Soto, and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production in certain areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Florida, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Florida Coastal Protection Act''. SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND PRODUCTION IN CERTAIN AREAS OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA. Section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(j) Prohibition of Oil and Natural Gas Exploration, Development, and Production in Certain Areas Off the Coast of Florida.-- ``(1) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other law, the Secretary shall not issue a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in-- ``(A) any area of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico that is referred to in section 104(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006; ``(B) the portion of the South Atlantic Planning Area, as such planning area is depicted in the 2024-