Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act

HR 6814 allows offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines (called "idle structures") to be repurposed as artificial reefs instead of being fully removed during decommissioning. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to delay removal until NOAA assesses whether the structure supports an "established reef ecosystem" (identified reef-associated species). Operators can request "reef in place" status within 5 years of filing decommissioning plans, subject to safety and environmental checks, and states can manage these structures using funds covering up to 50% of removal costs. The bill also mandates a public dashboard tracking Gulf of Mexico infrastructure and requires annual reports on reef assessments.