Penalties for Polluters Act
Sponsored By: Representative Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
Introduced
Summary
Much larger civil penalties and a new reinvestment fund. This bill raises maximum fines across core oil, gas, and mineral leasing laws, adds annual Consumer Price Index inflation adjustments, and creates a Penalty Revenue Reinvestment Fund to send excess penalty dollars to harmed communities and enforcement agencies.
Show full summary
- Operators and leaseholders: Companies on federal mineral and offshore leases face much higher per-violation fines. For example, the Mineral Leasing Act maximum rises to $2.7 million for a violation.
- States, Tribes, and local communities: Half of any "excess revenue" from penalties goes to States, Indian Tribes, and local governments harmed by the violation to support remediation and recovery.
- Federal enforcement and compliance: The other half of excess penalty revenue funds the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Bureau of Land Management. Major statutes get automatic annual CPI adjustments so penalty caps rise with inflation.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher fines for oil, gas, and mining
If enacted, this bill would raise civil fines for companies that violate oil, gas, offshore, or mineral leasing rules. The Mineral Leasing Act top penalty would rise to $2.7 million and a related cap to $500,000, with annual inflation indexing. Under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act several caps would increase (for example $500→$3,000; $5,000→$30,000; $10,000→$65,000; $25,000→$160,000) and one maximum would rise to $320,000 with annual CPI indexing. The Outer Continental Shelf changes would allow up to $100,000 per day, or up to $360,000 per day for failures that threaten life or the environment, and the cited Oil Pollution Act penalty would rise to $120,000.
New fund shares excess penalty money
If enacted, this bill would create a Penalty Revenue Reinvestment Fund in the U.S. Treasury to receive "excess revenue" from certain penalties collected after enactment. Excess revenue is the part of a penalty that exceeds the old maximum for the same violation. Fifty percent of deposited money would go to States, Indian Tribes, and local governments harmed by the violation. The other fifty percent would go to ONRR, BSEE, and BLM for enforcement and remediation, and the money would be available without further appropriation.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
MN • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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