Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Alaska Act of 2017 or the OPENS Alaska Act of 2017
This bill nullifies the memorandum issued by the President on December 20, 2016, entitled "Withdrawal of Certain Portions of the United States Arctic Outer Continental Shelf from Mineral Leasing." The bill also nullifies any other presidential action to prohibit mineral leasing in certain portions of the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf.
The bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish a Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area in the Outer Continental Shelf within three nautical miles of the seaward boundary of Alaska and conduct one oil and gas lease sale under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) in such planning area and the Cook Inlet Planning Area in each of FY2018-FY2020.
Oil and gas leases under the OCSLA shall have an initial 20-year lease period if they are located in the portion of the Beaufort Planning Area or the Chukchi Planning Area beyond 3 nautical miles of the seaward boundary of Alaska.
The OCSLA is amended to establish a scheme for revenue allocation between the Treasury and the state of Alaska.
Interior shall include in any leasing program at least three lease sales in each of the Beaufort Planning Area and the Chukchi Planning Area, as well as annual lease sales in the Nearshore Beaufort Sea Planning Area and the Cook Inlet Planning Area.
Interior shall establish a grant program for activities to improve the resilience of Indian tribes to the effects of climate change, build Native American communities, and aid the modernization of infrastructure. The bill also establishes the Tribal Resilience Fund.