The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources conducted a legislative hearing on a bill aimed at supporting fish habitats and reef ecosystems by formalizing the Rigs to Reef initiative. This program allows oil and gas operators to decommission offshore energy infrastructure and convert it into artificial reefs, which are intended to enhance marine habitats.
Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) commented, “The Rigs to Reefs program has been a great success story, thanks in no small part to partnerships between domestic energy producers and federal and state regulators and conservation agencies. I commend Representative Ezell for his leadership on the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, which will strengthen this program, benefiting marine habitat and coastal communities for years to come. I look forward to working with Representative Ezell to advance this important legislation through the Natural Resources Committee.”
The proposed legislation, H.R. 5745 or the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, was introduced by Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.). The bill seeks to establish clear procedures and timelines for converting inactive offshore energy structures into artificial reefs. It would authorize the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), working with state agencies, to designate specific Reef Planning Areas.
Additionally, the bill requires BSEE to provide detailed maps of idle structures that support established reef ecosystems. An annual report outlining reefing applications and their outcomes would also be submitted to Congress, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of NOAA.
