United States 115th Congress Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 7 D · 1 I cosponsors

S 750 — Keep It in the Ground Act of 2017

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Keep It in the Ground Act of 2017 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from issuing, renewing, reinstating, or extending any nonproducing lease, or issuing any authorization for the exploration or production of oil, natural gas, or any other fossil fuel in the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or any other area of the Outer Continental Shelf. BOEM shall also cancel within 60 days any lease issued in the Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, or Chukchi Sea (three of the five bodies of water that encompass the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must not issue, renew, reinstate, or extend any nonproducing lease for the exploration or production of any onshore fossil fuels, including coal, oil, tar sands, oil shale, and gas, on land subject to the Mineral Leasing Act. The bill provides for exceptions if there is an imminent national security threat that would be significantly reduced by granting an exception. In addition, BOEM and the BLM may allow a nonproducing lease to be renewed or extended if the lease contract was signed before this bill, and giving effect to any provision of this bill is likely to lead to a material breach of contract.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

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Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill prohibits new oil and gas leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf and coal leases on Federal land.

  • 43 U.S.C. 1337

    (q) Prohibition on New Oil and Gas Leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf.--(1) Definitions.--In this subsection: (A) Extend.--(i) In general.--The term `extend' means the act of extending a lease under this Act beyond the existing term of the lease. (ii) Inclusion.--The term `extend' includes the act of extending a lease following a suspension under this Act. (B) Nonproducing lease.--The term `nonproducing lease' means any lease under which no coal, oil, gas, oil shale, tar sands, or other fossil fuel approved in the lease contract has been extracted. (C) Reinstate.--The term `reinstate' means the act of reinstating a lease under this Act after a violation of any term of the lease that resulted in suspension or cancellation of the lease. (D) Renew.--The term `renew' means the act of renewing a lease under this Act for a term that is not longer than the maximum renewal term for a lease under this Act. (2) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any other law, the Secretary of the Interior shall not issue a new lease, renew, reinstate, or extend any nonproducing lease, or issue any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other fossil fuel in--(A) the Arctic Ocean; (B) the Atlantic Ocean, including the Straits of Florida; (C) the Pacific Ocean; (D) the Gulf of Mexico; or (E) any other area of the outer Continental Shelf.

    This addition prohibits issuing new oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.

  • 30 U.S.C. § 181

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not conduct any lease sale, enter into any new lease, reoffer for lease any land covered by an expiring lease, or renew, reinstate, or extend any nonproducing lease in existence on or before the date of enactment of this Act for onshore fossil fuels, including coal, oil, tar sands, oil shale, and gas on land subject to the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).

    This provision prohibits new coal leases and renewal or extension of nonproducing leases on Federal land.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 7 co-sponsors · 539 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (7)

Not signed on (539)

539 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment energy
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Frequently asked questions

What does S 750 do?
Keep It in the Ground Act of 2017 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from issuing, renewing, reinstating, or extending any nonproducing lease, or issuing any authorization for the exploration or production of oil, natural gas, or any other fossil fuel in the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or any other area of the Outer Continental Shelf. BOEM shall also cancel within 60 days any lease issued in the Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, or Chukchi Sea (three of the five bodies of water that encompass the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must not issue, renew, reinstate, or extend any nonproducing lease for the exploration or production of any onshore fossil fuels, including coal, oil, tar sands, oil shale, and gas, on land subject to the Mineral Leasing Act. The bill provides for exceptions if there is an imminent national security threat that would be significantly reduced by granting an exception. In addition, BOEM and the BLM may allow a nonproducing lease to be renewed or extended if the lease contract was signed before this bill, and giving effect to any provision of this bill is likely to lead to a material breach of contract.
Who sponsors S 750?
S 750 is sponsored by Sanders, Bernard (Independent), Warren, Elizabeth (Democratic), Schatz, Brian (Democratic), Leahy, Patrick J. (Democratic), Menendez, Robert (Democratic), Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (Democratic), Cardin, Benjamin L. (Democratic), and Merkley, Jeff (Democratic).
What is the current status of S 750?
This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track S 750?
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