[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1393 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1393
To reform the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and
Enforcement and offshore drilling for oil and gas, to repeal the
limitation of liability of a responsible party for discharge of oil
from an offshore facility, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 6, 2011
Mr. Buchanan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reform the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and
Enforcement and offshore drilling for oil and gas, to repeal the
limitation of liability of a responsible party for discharge of oil
from an offshore facility, 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 ``Oil Spill Prevention Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. REFORM OF BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION AND
ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Drug Testing.--The Secretary of the Interior shall issue
regulations that require each employee of the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and Enforcement to be subjected to random
testing for the use of a controlled substance in violation of law or a
United States Government regulation not less than 2 times each year.
(b) Employment Restriction.--During the 2-year period beginning on
the date of departure of an individual from employment by the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, the individual may
not be employed by any person conducting any activity under a lease or
permit issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and
Enforcement or subject to regulation by the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and Enforcement.
SEC. 3. OVERSIGHT OF PERMITTING AND INSPECTIONS.
(a) Monthly Inspection Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and
Enforcement, shall inspect each month each vessel and facility
used for drilling for oil and gas on the outer Continental
Shelf.
(2) Rescheduling of missed inspection.--If for any reason
the Secretary does not conduct a monthly inspection under this
subsection, the Secretary shall conduct the inspection within
14 days after the date on which it was scheduled to be
conducted.
(b) Prohibition on Categorical Exemptions.--The Secretary of the
Interior may not exempt any category of activity by a vessel or
facility engaged in drilling for oil or gas on the outer Continental
Shelf in waters deeper than 1,000 feet from any requirement or
restriction that applies with respect to that activity under Federal
law.
SEC. 4. REPEAL OF LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF RESPONSIBLE PARTY FOR
DISCHARGE OF OIL FROM AN OFFSHORE FACILITY.
(a) Repeal.--Section 1004(a) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33
U.S.C. 2704(a)) is amended by--
(1) inserting ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of
paragraph (2);
(2) striking paragraph (3); and
(3) redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) take
effect on April 15, 2010.
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