U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi has voiced her opposition to the American Shores Protection Act (S.3082), a bill intended to codify an existing moratorium on oil and gas exploration in parts of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Trump administration is currently working to revive offshore energy production.
During a recent Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing, Hyde-Smith stated that the legislation is unnecessary and could impact ongoing efforts by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to develop a new five-year lease sale plan for offshore energy production.
“The bill comes as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management continues to advance the Draft Proposed Program for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The proposal fulfills BOEM’s statutory responsibilities and aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy, which I have been so anxious to do,” Hyde-Smith said.
She added, “The proposal considers all potential options in federal waters that could benefit the American people. Expanding opportunities in the Gulf could help meet growing energy demand, create jobs, and support refiners along the Gulf Coast. Additional lease sales will help fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, benefiting states across the country, not just Mississippi.”
Hyde-Smith argued that S.3082 could limit the administration’s authority by prohibiting energy exploration, development, and production in certain OCS areas off Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
“Congress should allow the BOEM’s process to proceed without restricting the administration’s authority,” she said.
Currently, offshore energy production in regions outlined by S.3082 is already restricted under a 2020 moratorium extended by President Trump until June 2032. The president maintains authority to rescind this moratorium at any time.
The ongoing BOEM leasing program is supported by the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition, led by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. Hyde-Smith submitted a letter from this coalition into the hearing record noting that the Gulf of America holds an estimated 29.6 billion barrels of oil and 54.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Senator Hyde-Smith serves on several Senate committees including Appropriations; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Energy and Natural Resources; and Rules and Administration according to her official website. She is also noted as Mississippi’s first female elected representative in Congress. Her office addresses statewide priorities such as agriculture, rural communities, public safety, jobs, infrastructure, energy policy, veterans’ issues and more through locations in Washington D.C., Ridgeland, Gulfport and Oxford according to official sources.
