Plug Offshore Wells Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8099
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-26: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-04T08:08:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8099 - Plug Offshore Wells Act
Purpose
The legislation aims to increase transparency and oversight of the decommissioning process for offshore oil and gas infrastructure by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to produce and publicly share an annual report on compliance with existing decommissioning regulations.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- Decommissioning: Properly closing wells, removing or safely leaving platforms and pipelines in place, as defined in federal regulations (30 CFR 250.1700).
- Secretary: Secretary of the Interior.
- Annual Reporting Requirement:
- Starting 2 years after enactment, and every year thereafter, the Secretary must submit a report to Congress and post it on the Department of the Interior's website.
- The report covers the preceding calendar year and includes:
- Number of required decommissioning applications for offshore oil/gas wells, platforms, or pipelines (per 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart Q).
- Number of those applications actually received.
- Number of wells, platforms, or pipelines where decommissioning was not completed by the required deadline.
- Number of wells and platforms approved for decommissioning in place (leaving them safely on the seabed; 30 CFR 250.1750).
- Length of pipelines decommissioned in place versus those fully removed (per 30 CFR 250.1752 and 250.1754).
- Status of enforcement actions by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), such as notices of noncompliance, orders, fines, or bans from future operations.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new annual reporting mandate on decommissioning activities and enforcement.
- Does not alter existing decommissioning regulations (e.g., under 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart Q) but adds accountability through public and congressional reporting.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Places additional administrative burden on the Department of the Interior and BSEE to compile and publish data annually, potentially improving internal tracking and enforcement.
- Citizens and Environment: Enhances public access to information on compliance, which could raise awareness of environmental risks from unplugged wells or abandoned infrastructure (e.g., leaks or hazards).
- Industry: Increases scrutiny on oil and gas operators' compliance, possibly leading to stricter enforcement.
- No direct impacts on international relations noted.
Main Stakeholders
- Department of the Interior and BSEE: Responsible for reporting and enforcement.
- Offshore oil and gas companies: Subject to decommissioning rules and enforcement actions.
- Congress: Receives reports for oversight.
- Public and environmental groups: Gain access to transparency data.
- Coastal communities: Potentially affected by decommissioning compliance (e.g., via reduced risks from abandoned structures).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on existing regulatory framework without creating new penalties; relies on current definitions and processes for straightforward implementation.
- Constitutional: No apparent issues; standard congressional directive to an executive agency for reporting (common oversight tool).
- Political: Promotes accountability for offshore energy infrastructure end-of-life management, aligning with environmental and safety priorities; introduced by bipartisan sponsors focused on natural resources.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (10)
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-26: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 2026-03-26: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Plug Offshore Wells Act — issued 2026-03-26 — PDF (4 pages)