Mississippi Gulf News

Today, Congressman Mike Ezell introduced a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to challenge a rule set by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). This rule targets oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf.

"The Biden administration steamrolled the American energy sector with burdensome regulations on U.S. oil and gas production, driving up costs and stifling growth," Ezell stated. "These policies have only hurt American workers and consumers. Under the Trump administration, I’m hopeful we can leverage the Congressional Review Act to roll back these harmful rules and restore commonsense energy policies that put America first."

House Natural Resources Chairman Westerman also expressed support for reversing these policies: “Advancing an America first agenda and restoring domestic energy dominance starts by reversing the disastrous policies implemented by the Biden-Harris administration. It’s time to put American industries back in the driver’s seat and allow our homegrown energy innovation to thrive. I thank Congressman Ezell for his thoughtful work to support small businesses developing our abundant resources in the Gulf of America, Alaska, and beyond.”

The rule from September 3, 2024, requires new oil and gas leaseholders on the outer continental shelf to submit an archaeological report before drilling or laying pipelines. This involves conducting costly surveys for marine archaeological resources like shipwrecks or "cultural resources." Previously, BOEM required such surveys only when there was a reason to believe that an archaeological resource might be present.

The Biden administration acknowledged that this rule would particularly impact small oil and gas producers, stating that "100 percent of the increased Gulf of [america] compliance cost . . . would be borne by operators that are small entities." Small operators contribute one-third of all oil production in the Gulf of America.

A Senate version of this resolution was introduced by Senator John Kennedy and Senator Cindy Hyde Smith, passing with bipartisan support earlier this week.