Dave Min (D-CA)
Offshore Leasing Standards and Accountability Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 18 Democratic cosponsors · See all 18 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Offshore Leasing Standards and Accountability Act of 2026 changes how oil and gas operations are handled on the outer Continental Shelf. It requires companies to be certified as "fit to operate" based on their safety record and financial health before they can get or transfer leases. The bill also creates mandatory interest-bearing escrow accounts to ensure funds are available for decommissioning infrastructure. Additionally, it limits how long oil wells can be placed in temporary abandonment status. The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with overseeing these standards and reporting compliance to Congress.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +8
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
Imposes strict safety records and mandatory funding for decommissioning to prevent pollution and abandoned wells.
- Scored +7
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
Establishes rigorous standards for the management and reclamation of the outer Continental Shelf.
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Requires annual reports to Congress detailing compliance failures and enforcement actions.
The opposite
- Scored -6
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
Strict credit ratings and bankruptcy history requirements create significant barriers for smaller operators.
- Scored -4
Would business owners be better off under this?
Increases compliance costs and financial requirements for energy business owners.
- Scored -2
Is this likely to lower the price at the pump?
Increased operational costs for oil companies could potentially lead to higher energy costs.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Safety and Environmental Protection: The Secretary cannot approve leases unless a party is certified as fit to operate, which requires a 10-year history of complying with environmental and safety laws and taking effective action on oil spills and worker safety incidents (Section 2, subsection (b)(2)).
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Financial Accountability for Cleanup: The bill requires leaseholders to pay into escrow accounts to fully cover the cost of decommissioning infrastructure, ensuring funds exist to plug wells and return areas to required environmental conditions (Section 3, subsection (k)(1)).
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Stricter Oversight of Abandoned Wells: To prevent long-term neglect, the bill generally limits the temporary abandonment of wells to 3 years, and only if an economic analysis shows it improves stability or mitigates environmental impacts (Section 4, subsection (l)(1)).
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Transparency through Reporting: The Secretary must provide an annual report to Congress listing persons who failed to meet operating standards and the enforcement actions taken against them (Section 2, subsection (c)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Higher Barriers to Entry for Operators: The strict "minimum qualifications," such as requiring an investment-grade credit rating and no bankruptcies for 10 years, may prevent smaller companies from obtaining leases (Section 2, subsection (b)(2)(A)(vi-vii)).
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Increased Costs for Companies: Operators must make significant initial payments into escrow accounts, at least 25 percent of average or proposed decommissioning costs, which could create a financial burden (Section 3, subsection (k)(3)(D)).
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Strict Penalties for Payment Delays: If escrow payments are more than 60 days late, the government can raise royalty rates or suspend the lease entirely (Section 3, subsection (k)(5)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Imposes strict safety records and mandatory funding for decommissioning to prevent pollution and abandoned wells. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Establishes rigorous standards for the management and reclamation of the outer Continental Shelf. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — Higher barriers to entry and stricter regulations may marginally reduce the number of new offshore leases. Is this likely to lower the price at the pump? — Increased operational costs for oil companies could potentially lead to higher energy costs.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires annual reports to Congress detailing compliance failures and enforcement actions. Does this give the federal government more power? — Grants the Secretary of the Interior significant authority to certify operators and mandate escrow accounts.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — Long-term environmental protections benefit future generations. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Environmental protections benefit future generations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Reduces likelihood of taxpayers funding cleanups of orphaned wells. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Reduces likelihood of taxpayers funding cleanups of orphaned wells. Would business owners be better off under this? — Increases compliance costs and financial requirements for energy business owners.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — Ensures funds are secured upfront for long-term environmental liabilities. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — Shifts the financial burden of environmental cleanup from taxpayers to oil and gas companies. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — Mandatory escrow accounts reduce the likelihood of the government bearing decommissioning costs for bankrupt operators. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Strict credit ratings and bankruptcy history requirements create significant barriers for smaller operators.
- 9/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/27/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/13/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/25/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/10/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/2/2026
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- 5/26/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Yassamin AnsariDemocrat · Arizona
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Julia BrownleyDemocrat · California
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Judy ChuDemocrat · California
Salud CarbajalDemocrat · California
Sean CastenDemocrat · Illinois
Maxine DexterDemocrat · Oregon
Robert GarciaDemocrat · California
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Jared HuffmanDemocrat · California
Zoe LofgrenDemocrat · California
Ted LieuDemocrat · California
Mike LevinDemocrat · California
Kevin MullinDemocrat · California
Frank PalloneDemocrat · New Jersey
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Juan VargasDemocrat · California