Sec. 8. Promoting offshore energy exploration, innovation, and education

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Chapter 2003 of title 54, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following: Of the overall amount appropriated from the Fund for fiscal years 2018 through 2024, not less than 15 percent shall be available for promoting offshore energy exploration, innovation, and education as provided for in this paragraph. Of the funds made available under this paragraph for fiscal years 2018 through 2024— twenty-five percent shall be made available to establish and maintain the pilot program to improve Federal permit coordination on the outer Continental Shelf under subsection (b); ten percent shall be made available to establish and maintain an offshore energy innovation hub under subsection (c); and sixty-five percent shall be made available to award offshore energy education grants to institutions of higher education under subsection (d).

If the Secretary determines under paragraph

(9)that the pilot program is effective, then of the overall amount appropriated from the Fund for fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years, not less than 15 percent shall be available for promoting offshore energy exploration, innovation, and education in the same manner as the funds made available under paragraph (1). If the Secretary determines under paragraph

(9)that the pilot program is not effective, then of the overall amount appropriated from the Fund for fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years, not less than 15 percent shall be available for promoting offshore energy exploration, innovation, and education as provided for in this paragraph. Of the funds made available under this section for fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years— thirty-five percent shall be made available to establish and maintain an offshore energy innovation hub under subsection (c); and sixty-five percent shall be made available to award offshore energy education grants to institutions of higher education under subsection (d). The Secretary shall carry out a Federal energy permit streamlining pilot program for the outer Continental Shelf (referred to in this subsection as the OCS Pilot Program ). The purpose of the OSC Pilot Program is to collocate appropriate staff from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Coast Guard, and the National Marine Fisheries Service in the pilot offices established in paragraph

(3)for the purpose of streamline Federal permitting of energy activities on the outer Continental Shelf of the United States, including streamlining permitting for— geophysical surveying, including magnetic, gravity, seismic, or other systems; oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production; and offshore renewable energy projects, including wind and tidal power generation. The Secretary shall seek to establish a memorandum of understanding to streamline Federal permitting of energy activities on the outer Continental Shelf and to coordinate relevant activities across Federal agencies with— the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; the Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; the Secretary of Commerce; and the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Secretary may request the Governors of Alaska, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to be signatories to the memorandum of understanding. Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall establish the pilot offices referred to in paragraph

(2)in the following locations: Anchorage, Alaska. Metairie, Louisiana. Virginia Beach, Virginia. Any other location, as determined by the Secretary. Each Federal agency listed in paragraph (3)(A) shall assign to each of the pilot offices established under paragraph

(4)relevant staff from such agency who have expertise in the regulatory issues relating to the office in which the employee is employed, including, as applicable, particular expertise in— consultations and the preparation of biological opinions under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1536 ), including with respect to seismic permitting; consistency reviews under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.); plan approvals and permits under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.); implementation and enforcement of section 328 of the Clean Air Act ( 42 U.S.C. 7627 ); and compliance with section 102(2)(C) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) ). Each employee assigned under subparagraph

(A)shall— not later than 90 days after the date of assignment, report to the pilot office established under paragraph

(4)to which the employee is assigned; and be dedicated to and responsible for all outer Continental Shelf energy-related activities administered by that pilot office for all issues relating to the jurisdiction of the home office or agency that assigned the employee. The Secretary shall assign to each pilot office identified in paragraph

(4)any additional personnel that are necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the OCS Pilot Program. The Secretary shall ensure that all fees collected by a pilot office in association with activities related to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) listed under subparagraphs

(A)through

(C)of paragraph

(2)are made available to that office. The Secretary may not establish any new fee or increase any existing fee for any activities conducted by a pilot office. Nothing in this subsection affects— the operation of any other Federal or State law; any delegation of authority made by the head of a Federal agency whose employees are participating in the OCS Pilot Program; or the existing memorandum of agreement between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Defense on Mutual Concerns on the Outer Continental Shelf signed on July 20, 1983, or any revision or replacement for that agreement that is agreed to by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Interior after that date. Not later than January 1, 2024, the Secretary shall make a determination on if the pilot program is effective and submit the results of such determination to Congress. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish an Offshore Energy Innovation Hub. The purpose of the Offshore Energy Innovation Hub shall be to— foster collaboration among Federal, academic, and industry stakeholders on innovations directly related to energy production on the outer Continental Shelf; and study, develop, and maintain the following areas of focus: Materials and equipment that improve upon existing well control systems or containment systems (or both). Predicting and monitoring the production behavior of complex reservoirs on the outer Continental Shelf. Subsea systems, power distribution, and data communications that improve recovery and extend production reach. Materials and equipment to reliably produce ultra-deepwater resources in corrosive environments. Systems to predict both atmospheric and below-surface environments and engineering response. Exploration and production systems and techniques for ice conditions, including ice management and extended season development. The Secretary shall establish the Offshore Energy Innovation Hub at a location that is in proximity to existing outer Continental Shelf oil and gas development to ensure opportunities to test and apply innovative technologies and research in the field. In order to expand opportunities related to offshore energy development, the Secretary of the Interior shall use amounts available under subsection (a)(2)(C) to award offshore energy innovation grants in accordance with this subsection to institutions of higher education selected under paragraph (2). The Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of the amounts available under subsection (a)(2)(C) to administer this subsection. The Secretary shall select 20 institutions of higher education to receive grants under this subsection, of those institutions of higher education that are— nominated under subparagraph (B); and determined by the Secretary to have issued the greatest number of undergraduate and graduate degrees in one or more of the academic fields included in the list prepared under paragraph (5). Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and every 3 years thereafter, the Governor of each State may nominate for grants under this subsection— up to 4 institutions of higher education located in the State, of which at least one shall be a minority-serving institution, if applicable; and at least 1 vocational institution located in the State. In making nominations under clause (i), each Governor shall give preference to institutions of higher education and vocational institutions that demonstrate a vigorous rate of admissions of veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States. Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on an annual basis and grant funds shall remain available for use until expended. Of the funds awarded to each grantee each fiscal year— no less than half shall be made available in the form of scholarships or tuition assistance to incoming students in the academic fields included in the list submitted under paragraph (5); and the remainder shall be used to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curriculum development and other related projects that will advance energy and mineral exploration and production on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States. The Secretary shall establish fellowship and internship opportunities in the Department of the Interior for students in academic fields included in the list submitted under paragraph

(5)to address future workforce needs of the Department. The Secretary shall conduct a survey of current outer Continental Shelf leaseholders to prepare a list of science, technology, engineering, and math-related academic fields that address current and future workforce needs for offshore energy-related activities. The Secretary may periodically update this list through subsequent surveys of such leaseholders to better adapt to changing workforce needs. In this subsection: The term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 ). The term minority-serving institution means any public or not-for-profit institution of higher education described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1067q ). The term vocational institution means a postsecondary vocational institution, as that term is defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1002(c) ). .

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