Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA): Background, Status, and Issues
Abstract
Almost all U.S. offshore oil and gas production occurs in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal oil and gas leasing in the Gulf is governed primarily by two laws - the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA; 43 U.S.C. 1331-1356b), which broadly controls oil and gas leasing throughout the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS); and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA; 43 U.S.C. 1331 note), whose provisions relate specifically to leasing in the Gulf region. GOMESA imposes an oil and gas leasing moratorium through June 30, 2022, in most of the Eastern Gulf (off the Florida coast) and a small part of the Central Gulf. The law also establishes a framework for sharing revenues from certain qualified oil and gas leases in other parts of the Gulf with the "Gulf producing states" of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as with a nationwide outdoor recreation program - the state assistance program established by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (LWCF; 54 U.S.C. 200301 et seq.). The 116th Congress is considering changes to GOMESA, as statutory provisions related to both the moratorium and revenue sharing enter a period of transition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1169998
Entities
People
- Laura B. Comay
- Marc Humphries
Organizations
- Library of Congress