Referred to Subcommittee on Parks, Preservation and Recreation.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 8, 1995
California Ocean Protection Act of 1995 - Establishes a California Ocean Protection Zone consisting of: (1) waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone that are contiguous to the waters of the territorial sea that are contiguous to the State of California; (2) waters of the territorial sea that are contiguous to the State of California; and (3) the portion of the outer Continental Shelf underlying those waters. Prohibits: (1) the head of a Federal agency from issuing a lease, permit, or license for the exploration for or development or production of oil, gas, or other minerals in or from the Zone; (2) a person from engaging in the exploration for, or development or production of, minerals in or from the Zone after the date of the cancellation, expiration, transfer, relinquishment, or termination of a lease, permit, or license for such activities in effect in June 1995; and (3) an agency head from issuing a lease, permit, or license for ocean incineration or harmful ocean dumping within the Zone or for any onshore facility that facilitates ocean incineration or harmful ocean dumping within the Zone. Declares that this Act is not intended to regulate, restrict, or prohibit commercial or recreational fishing, or other harvesting of ocean life in the zone.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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