Sec. 106. Inspection fee collection
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Section 22 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1348 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary of the Interior shall collect from the operators of facilities subject to inspection under subsection
(c)non-refundable fees for such inspections— at an aggregate level equal to the amount necessary to offset the annual expenses of inspections of outer Continental Shelf facilities (including mobile offshore drilling units) by the Secretary of the Interior; and using a schedule that reflects the differences in complexity among the classes of facilities to be inspected. There is established in the Treasury a fund, to be known as the Ocean Energy Safety Fund (referred to in this subsection as the Fund ), into which shall be deposited all amounts collected as fees under paragraph
(1)and which shall be available as provided under paragraph (3). Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code, all amounts deposited in the Fund— shall be credited as offsetting collections; shall be available for expenditure for purposes of carrying out inspections of outer Continental Shelf facilities (including mobile offshore drilling units) and the administration of the inspection program under this section; shall be available only to the extent provided for in advance in an appropriations Act; and shall remain available until expended. Not less than 75 percent of amounts in the Fund may be appropriated for use only for the respective Department of the Interior field offices where the amounts were originally assessed as fees. Fees shall be established under this subsection for the fiscal year in which this subsection takes effect and the subsequent 10 years, and shall not be raised, except as determined by the Secretary to be appropriate as an adjustment equal to the percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for the month of June of the calendar year preceding the adjustment exceeds the Consumer Price Index for the month of June of the calendar year in which the fee was determined or last adjusted. Annual fees shall be collected under this subsection for facilities that are above the waterline, excluding drilling rigs, and are in place at the start of the fiscal year. Fees for fiscal year 2019 shall be— $10,500 for facilities with no wells, but with processing equipment or gathering lines; $17,000 for facilities with 1 to 10 wells, with any combination of active or inactive wells; and $31,500 for facilities with more than 10 wells, with any combination of active or inactive wells. Fees shall be collected under this subsection for drilling rigs on a per inspection basis. Fees for fiscal year 2019 shall be— $30,500 per inspection for rigs operating in water depths of 1,000 feet or more; and $16,700 per inspection for rigs operating in water depths of less than 1,000 feet. The Secretary shall bill designated operators under paragraph
(5)annually, with payment required within 30 days of billing. The Secretary shall bill designated operators under paragraph
(6)within 30 days of the end of the month in which the inspection occurred, with payment required within 30 days after billing. Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2019 and ending with fiscal year 2029, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report on the operation of the Fund during the fiscal year. Each report shall include, for the fiscal year covered by the report, the following: A statement of the amounts deposited into the Fund. A description of the expenditures made from the Fund for the fiscal year, including the purpose of the expenditures and the additional hiring of personnel. A statement of the balance remaining in the Fund at the end of the fiscal year. An accounting of pace of permit approvals. If fee increases are proposed, a proper accounting of the potential adverse economic impacts such fee increases will have on offshore economic activity and overall production. Recommendations to increase the efficacy and efficiency of offshore inspections. Any corrective actions levied upon offshore inspectors as a result of any form of misconduct. .
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Sec. 106
Inspection fee collection
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