United States lawmakers representing the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have introduced legislation to extend their respective state waters' boundaries from 3 miles off the coast to 9 miles.
The legislators behind the bill say it’s unfair that their Gulf of Mexico – currently referred to as the Gulf of America by the administration of President Donald Trump – neighbors, Texas and Florida, control resources in waters up to 9 miles off their coast.
“For too long, Mississippi and our Gulf Coast neighbors have operated under an outdated and unequal system,” U.S. Representative Mike Ezell (R-Mississippi) said in a release. “This bill is about fairness. Expanding our offshore boundaries will strengthen our economy, support energy production, and give our state the same opportunities already afforded to Texas and Florida.”
When Congress passed the Submerged Lands Act in 1953, lawmakers decided that states should control the waters off their respective coasts up to the boundary that existed when they entered the union. For most coastal states, that boundary was set at 3 nautical miles off their shores. However, it was determined that both Florida and Texas controlled more marine territory when they joined the United States, and they were given control of up to 9 miles off their shores.
Lawmakers from Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi say the resultant discrepancy leaves their states shortchanged.
“There's no reason Alabama should have less access and control of our shores than Texas and Florida have over theirs," U.S. Representative Shomari Figures (D-Alabama) said. “This bipartisan bill levels the playing field by making a commonsense update that ensures all gulf states have equal offshore boundaries.”
Louisiana challenged the law in the 1960s, but the Supreme Court ultimately rejected its arguments in 1969, ruling that the state could not demonstrate that it controlled those waters prior to joining the union.
The Offshore Parity Act would amend both the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Act to extend the boundaries of the three states to roughly 9 nautical miles, which would be the same as Texas and Florida. That would instantly triple the area that falls under those three states’ fisheries management jurisdiction, with the bill declaring that state control would “improve the management of fisheries by allowing the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to oversee fisheries management in the expanded seaward boundaries.”
“This is a critical step toward equality, ensuring that Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have the same authority over their waters as Texas and Florida,” U.S. Representative Troy Carter (D-Louisiana) said in a release. “This bill will empower us to manage our energy resources, protect our coastal communities, and strengthen our fisheries – securing economic benefits for our states.”
“This bill ensures that states are on equal footing regarding offshore boundaries,” U.S. Representative Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana) said. “The expansion from 3 to 9 miles of state waters would provide Louisiana with greater control and economic benefit from its offshore resources. My office will continue to advocate for our coastal communities and industries.”
Lawmakers introduced a similar bill in 2024, but it was never taken up for consideration by a committee or voted on in the U.S. House of Representatives.
