Offshore Lands Authorities Act of 2025

Nullification of Previous Withdrawals: The bill voids several Presidential Memorandums and Executive Orders regarding offshore land, such as those relating to the Arctic, Atlantic coast, and Gulf of Mexico (Section 2). This could allow for the potential leasing of these areas.

Limits on Presidential Power: By establishing specific caps, the bill limits the amount of land a President can withdraw at once to 150,000 acres, prevents them from being contiguous, and limits the duration to 20 years (Section 3, paragraph 2).

Requirement for Data-Driven Decisions: The bill requires the Secretary to complete geophysical, geological, economic, and national security assessments before any withdrawal is made (Section s, paragraph 3). This ensures that the impacts on mineral resources and Federal revenues are understood first.

Increased Congressional Oversight: The bill mandates that the President must transmit withdrawal information to both the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House (Section 3, paragraph 1) and creates a specific process for Congress to disapprove of a withdrawal through a joint resolution (Section 3, paragraph 4).

Increased Bureaucracy and Requirements: Before a withdrawal can occur, several different assessments must be completed by the Secretary, including economic, energy, and national security value assessments (Section 3, paragraph 3).

Restrictions on Land Management: The new limits prevent the President from making withdrawals larger than 150,000 acres or keeping them in place for longer than 20 years (Section 3, paragraph 2).

Limitations on Cumulative Actions: The bill prohibits a President from withdrawing more than 500,000 acres in total without getting specific approval from Congress (Section 3, paragraph 2).