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Moratoria
Area Restricted by the Gulf of
Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
A portion of the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area (CPA) and
most of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Area (EPA) is under restriction
until 2022 as part of the
Gulf of
Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006
(50.83 KB PDF).
The area restricted is
that portion of EPA within 125 miles of Florida, all areas in the Gulf of
Mexico east of the Military Mission Line (86o
41’ west longitude), and the area within the CPA that is within 100 miles
of Florida.
Presidential Withdrawal
The
President has withdrawn all marine sanctuaries from future oil and gas
leasing activities. On March 31, 2010, the President withdrew Bristol Bay, offshore Alaska, from leasing consideration through June 30, 2017.
Annual Moratoria
(also referred to as Congressional Moratoria)
In
the past, Congress has imposed a restriction on what areas the Bureau could offer
for OCS oil and gas leasing. This restriction (also called a moratorium)
limited the Bureau’s latitude in spending appropriated funds for pre-lease and
leasing activities. Congressional moratoria prohibited future oil and gas
leasing but it did not apply to activities on existing leases. These
moratoria were enacted annually as part of the Department of the
Interior’s appropriations legislation. Currently, no OCS areas are
affected by annual moratoria.
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