Bill
S 4239
The bill requires the Interior Secretary to publish an annual public report detailing offshore decommissioning activity and related enforcement for the prior year.
Effective date: The bill would take effect upon enactment; requires annual reporting starting two years after enactment.
Sponsor and status:
- Introduced March 26, 2026, by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (and cosponsors: Wyden, Merkley, Markey).
- Referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Co-sponsors include: Ron Wyden, Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley, Ed Markey.
Purpose and intent:
- To require the Secretary of the Interior to annually submit to Congress, and publicly post on the Department of the Interior’s website, a report detailing offshore oil and gas well, platform, and pipeline decommissioning activities for the preceding calendar year.
- Aims to enhance transparency and accountability around offshore decommissioning and related enforcement actions.
Key provisions:
1) Definitions
- Decommissioning: As defined in 30 C.F.R. 250.1700 (or successor regulation).
- Secretary: The Secretary of the Interior.
2) Annual Report (new reporting requirement)
- Timing: The Secretary must submit the first annual report within two years after enactment, and then annually thereafter.
- Public availability: The report must be publicly accessible on the Department of the Interior’s website.
- Content requirements (for the preceding calendar year):
1. The number of applications for decommissioning offshore wells, platforms, or pipelines that were required to be submitted under Subpart Q of Part 250 (or successor regulations).
2. The number of those applications actually received by the Secretary.
3. The number of offshore wells, platforms, and pipelines for which decommissioning did not occur by the deadline in Subpart Q, Part 250 (or successor regs).
4. The number of offshore wells and platforms approved for decommissioning in place under § 250.1750 (or successor regulation).
5. The length of offshore pipelines:
- Decommissioned in place under § 250.1750 (or successor),
- and pipelines removed under § 250.1752 and § 250.1754 (or successor regs).
6. The status of enforcement actions by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) related to decommissioning, including:
- Notices of incident of noncompliance
- Orders
- Citations
- Civil penalties
- Disqualifications from future offshore operations
Impact and affected parties:
- Federal agencies: Requires ongoing data collection and public reporting by the Department of the Interior, specifically related to BSEE enforcement and offshore decommissioning processes.
- Offshore operators and developers: Entities with offshore wells, platforms, and pipelines would be subject to additional reporting transparency about decommissioning applications, timeliness, and enforcement actions.
- Public and stakeholders: Improves accessibility to annual decommissioning activity data and regulatory enforcement outcomes.
Procedural and timeline considerations:
- The Act mandates an initial report within two years of enactment and annual reports thereafter.
- Reports must cover the preceding calendar year and be publicly posted online, ensuring ongoing transparency.
- The bill references the regulatory framework of Subpart Q and sections 250.1700, 250.1750, 250.1752, and 250.1754 of Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations (or their successors).
Overall takeaway:
S.4239 creates a formal, public, annual accounting of offshore decommissioning activity and enforcement, aiming to improve oversight, accountability, and visibility into how offshore wells, platforms, and pipelines are decommissioned or otherwise managed after operations cease.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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