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A bill to transfer all liabilities and responsibilities for decommissioned or damaged offshore oil and gas platforms
Reposted by Chris Geidner
https://bsky.app/profile/chrisgeidner.bsky.social
Brad Johnson
@climatebrad.hillheat.com
@naturalresources.bsky.social hearing on Tuesday on H.R. 5745, a dumbass bill to transfer all liabilities and responsibilities for decommissioned or damaged offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines from a company to the states by calling them "artificial reefs"
119TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 5745
To promote fish habitat through the enhancement of certain offshore oil
and gas platforms and pipelines as artificial reefs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 14, 2025
Mr. EZELL (for himself, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, and Mr. VEASEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
A BILL
To promote fish habitat through the enhancement of certain
offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines as artificial
reefs, and for other purposes.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Marine Fisheries Habi5 tat Protection Act’’.
ALT
‘‘(7) ELIGIBLE STRUCTURE.—The term ‘eligible
20 structure’ refers to an Inactive Structure that is de21 termined eligible for Reefing in Place by the Direc22 tor pursuant to Section 207(a)(3).
23 ‘‘(8) INACTIVE STRUCTURE.—The term ‘inac24 tive structure’ means an oil or gas platform, strucVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Oct 15, 2025 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:BILLSH5745.IH H5745
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4
•HR 5745 IH
1 ture, facility, pipeline, and associated equipment and
2 infrastructure—
3 ‘‘(A) that either—
4 ‘‘(i) an Applicant determines is no
5 longer useful for operations;
6 ‘‘(ii) is located on a lease, right of
7 way, right of use and entry or other simi8 lar right that has expired, terminated, been
9 relinquished or abandoned or is no longer
10 valid and effective; or
11 ‘‘(iii) is currently on the sea floor as
12 a result of an act of God or event of force
13 majeure.
ALT
‘‘(2) LIABILITY.—Upon acceptance by a State
8 of an Eligible structure into a State Program de9 scribed in subparagraph (1)—
10 ‘‘(A) the Applicant shall have no responsi11 bility or liability with respect to the Approved
12 Structure following completion of the reefing
13 activity unless otherwise agreed to by the Appli14 cant and a State; and
15 ‘‘(B) the State shall be—
16 ‘‘(i) solely responsible for the contin17 ued maintenance of the Approved struc18 ture, including maintaining any identifying
19 markers installed to protect and aid navi20 gation; and
21 ‘‘(ii) exclusively responsible and liable
22 for the Approved structure.
ALT
10:49 AM · Jan 12, 2026
@climatebrad.hillheat.com
@naturalresources.bsky.social hearing on Tuesday on H.R. 5745, a dumbass bill to transfer all liabilities and responsibilities for decommissioned or damaged offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines from a company to the states by calling them "artificial reefs"
119TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 5745
To promote fish habitat through the enhancement of certain offshore oil
and gas platforms and pipelines as artificial reefs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 14, 2025
Mr. EZELL (for himself, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, and Mr. VEASEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
A BILL
To promote fish habitat through the enhancement of certain
offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines as artificial
reefs, and for other purposes.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Marine Fisheries Habi5 tat Protection Act’’.
ALT
‘‘(7) ELIGIBLE STRUCTURE.—The term ‘eligible
20 structure’ refers to an Inactive Structure that is de21 termined eligible for Reefing in Place by the Direc22 tor pursuant to Section 207(a)(3).
23 ‘‘(8) INACTIVE STRUCTURE.—The term ‘inac24 tive structure’ means an oil or gas platform, strucVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Oct 15, 2025 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:BILLSH5745.IH H5745
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4
•HR 5745 IH
1 ture, facility, pipeline, and associated equipment and
2 infrastructure—
3 ‘‘(A) that either—
4 ‘‘(i) an Applicant determines is no
5 longer useful for operations;
6 ‘‘(ii) is located on a lease, right of
7 way, right of use and entry or other simi8 lar right that has expired, terminated, been
9 relinquished or abandoned or is no longer
10 valid and effective; or
11 ‘‘(iii) is currently on the sea floor as
12 a result of an act of God or event of force
13 majeure.
ALT
‘‘(2) LIABILITY.—Upon acceptance by a State
8 of an Eligible structure into a State Program de9 scribed in subparagraph (1)—
10 ‘‘(A) the Applicant shall have no responsi11 bility or liability with respect to the Approved
12 Structure following completion of the reefing
13 activity unless otherwise agreed to by the Appli14 cant and a State; and
15 ‘‘(B) the State shall be—
16 ‘‘(i) solely responsible for the contin17 ued maintenance of the Approved struc18 ture, including maintaining any identifying
19 markers installed to protect and aid navi20 gation; and
21 ‘‘(ii) exclusively responsible and liable
22 for the Approved structure.
ALT
10:49 AM · Jan 12, 2026
@naturalresources.bsky.social hearing on Tuesday on H.R. 5745, a dumbass bill to transfer all liabilities and responsibilities for decommissioned or damaged offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines from a company to the states by calling them "artificial reefs"
— Brad Johnson (@climatebrad.hillheat.com) 2026-01-12T15:49:08.035Z
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
