The Plug Offshore Wells Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit an annual report to Congress and publish it online detailing the status of decommissioning offshore oil and gas infrastructure, including wells, platforms, and pipelines. Starting two years after the bill's enactment, the report must cover the number of decommissioning applications submitted and received, wells and platforms that missed required decommissioning deadlines, infrastructure approved to remain in place versus those that were removed, and any enforcement actions taken against operators for noncompliance. The legislation affects oil and gas companies operating in federal offshore waters and the federal agencies that regulate them, primarily the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. No specific funding amount is designated in the bill, as it primarily creates a reporting and transparency requirement. The bill aims to increase public accountability and congressional oversight of how offshore drilling infrastructure is being cleaned up and removed after operations end.
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