Lafayette Reporter

Senator John Kennedy led the Senate in passing a resolution to reverse a rule by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that affects oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf. The resolution, supported by both parties, will now be considered by the House of Representatives.

Kennedy criticized the Biden administration's rule, arguing it imposes significant burdens on small oil and natural gas producers. He explained that producers are required to map the ocean floor for shipwrecks before beginning production, despite extensive past surveys.

"We've surveyed the entire Gulf of America in the 87 years since we started drilling there," said Kennedy. "We have surveyed 311,652 square nautical miles—the surface area of Texas and California put together."

He continued to question the necessity of repeated surveys: "Well, in Sept. 2024, the Department of Interior—in a midnight regulation in an effort to try to further hurt fossil fuels—passed a new rule... Why? I mean, what's the benefit?"

Kennedy expressed his intention to use the Congressional Review Act to repeal what he called a "foolish rule," appealing for support from those with "common sense."

The rule in question was published on September 3, 2024, requiring all new oil and gas leaseholders on the outer continental shelf to submit archaeological reports before drilling or laying pipelines. This replaces BOEM's previous policy where surveys were only required if there was reason to believe an archaeological resource might be present.

The Biden administration acknowledged that this would particularly impact small oil and gas producers: "100 percent of the increased Gulf of [America] compliance cost . . . would be borne by operators that are small entities." Small operators contribute significantly to oil production in this region.

Kennedy introduced his resolution on February 4, 2025, as part of efforts against over 225 regulations he attributes to harming the oil and natural gas industry.