S. 503: No Surface Occupancy Western Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act

111th Congress · introduced 2009-02-27 · Energy · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2593-2595)

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2009-02-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2593-2595) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

No Surface Occupancy Western Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act

Plain summary

No Surface Occupancy Western Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act - Authorizes exploration, leasing, development, and production of oil and gas from the Western Coastal Plain. Defines the Western Coastal Plain as the area of Coastal Plain: (1) that borders the land of Alaska to the west and Alaska offshore waters of the Beaufort Sea on the north; and (2) from which the Secretary of the Interior finds oil and gas can be produced through horizontal drilling or other subsurface technology from sites outside or underneath the Coastal Plain surface. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Western Coastal Plain. Considers such program to be compatible with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish lease sale procedures; and (2) offer for lease those tracts the Secretary considers to have the greatest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons. Authorizes the Secretary to grant a lease for land on the Western Coastal Plain to the highest responsible qualified bidder. Prescribes lease terms and conditions. Provides for expedited judicial review. Directs the Secretary to establish in the Treasury the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to offset any planning, land use-related, or service-related impacts of offshore development caused by this Act. Prescribes a scheme for the allocation of revenues produced by bonus, rental, and royalty revenues from the federal oil and gas leasing and operations authorized under this Act, requiring 50% to be paid semiannually to the state of Alaska, and the remainder to designated federal entities.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

No Surface Occupancy Western Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Barrasso (R-WY), James E. Risch (R-ID)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] reported raising $1.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s503.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s503 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111