PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 13, 2008
American Energy Independence and Security Act of 2008 - Authorizes the exploration, leasing, development, production, and transportation of oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain in Alaska.
Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program for oil and gas exploration, development, and production in the Coastal Plain.
Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
States that, in connection with specified environmental protection laws, the Secretary shall not be required to: (1) identify nonleasing alternative courses of action; or (2) analyze the environmental effects of those actions.
Authorizes the Secretary to designate not more than 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a special area (including the Sadlerochit Spring area).
Prohibits surface occupancy of land comprising the special area if the Secretary leases all or a portion of such special area for oil and gas exploration and development.
Authorizes the Secretary to lease all or a portion of a special area under terms that permit the use of horizontal drilling technology from sites on leases located outside the special area (directional drilling).
Sets forth procedures for lease sales and lease grants.
Prohibits the Secretary from closing land within the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing, exploration, or development, except in accordance with this Act.
Sets forth procedures for: (1) Coastal Plain environmental protection; (2) expedited judicial review; (3) rights-of-way and easements; and (4) local government impact aid and community service assistance.
Prohibits exportation of oil or gas produced under the leases granted under this Act.
People & committees
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · R–AK
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.2758 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.2758 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.2758 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.2758 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.