Florida Coast Protection Act of 1998

Summary

Florida Coast Protection Act of 1998 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from conducting any preleasing or lease sale activity in the following Areas ("covered areas"): (1) the Eastern Gulf of Mexico; (2) the Straits of Florida; and (3) the South Atlantic. Cites circumstances under which the Secretary may approve or permit an exploration, production, or drilling activity in such areas with respect to any existing lease. Establishes a Joint Federal-State Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Force to: (1) ensure acquisition and consideration of needed information in all relevant disciplines to understand environmental risks; (2) provide scientific expertise to the Secretary; (3) facilitate the resolution of conflicts between the State of Florida and Federal agencies with respect to OCS activities and environmental studies; and (4) participate in peer review of certain required studies and research. Subjects approval of oil and gas exploration plans in the covered areas to the detailed environmental impact statement requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Expands the scope of required oil and gas development and production plans to include analyses of the effects upon environmental, human, social and economic resources of the affected areas. Provides that a State's consistency response to the consistency certification accompanying such plans shall be considered preliminary and provisional until receipt and review of such expanded analyses. Requires State concurrence for any approval by the Secretary of either a Development and Production Plan or a Development Operations Coordination Document. Requires the Secretary to consult with and obtain the concurrence of each affected State in determining if the approval of a development and production plan constitutes a major Federal action for NEPA purposes. Requires the Secretary, upon a finding that such plan is a major Federal action, to ensure that each affected State receives the final environmental impact statement six months before determining concurrence or objection to the coastal zone consistency certification. Changes from discretionary to mandatory the Secretary's authority to apply the mandated oil and gas development and production plans to an oil or gas lease located in that area of the Gulf of Mexico which is adjacent to the State of Florida.

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3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 25 June 1998

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 25 June 1998

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 25 June 1998

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