117 HR 6927 IH: American Energy Security and Transparency Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2022-03-03
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6927
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 3, 2022
Ms. Herrell (for herself, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Newhouse, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Rosendale, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Young, Mr. Pfluger, Ms. Cheney, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Babin, and Mr. Bentz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To immediately resume onshore oil and gas lease sales, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “American Energy Security and Transparency Act”.
2.

Onshore oil and gas leasing
(a)

Requirement To immediately resume onshore oil and gas lease sales
(1)

In general
The Secretary of the Interior shall immediately resume oil and gas lease sales in accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), and any other applicable onshore mineral leasing laws.
(2)

Requirement
The Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that any oil and gas lease sale made pursuant to paragraph (1) is conducted immediately on completion of all applicable scoping, public comment, and environmental analysis requirements under the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
(b)

Annual lease sales
(1)

In general
In accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), and any other applicable onshore mineral leasing laws, beginning in fiscal year 2022, the Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a minimum of four oil and gas lease sales annually in each of the following States:
(A)
Wyoming.
(B)
New Mexico.
(C)
Colorado.
(D)
Utah.
(E)
Montana.
(F)
North Dakota.
(G)
Oklahoma.
(H)
Nevada.
(I)
Any other State in which there is land available for oil and gas leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), and any other applicable onshore mineral leasing laws.
(2)

Requirement
In conducting a lease sale under paragraph (1) in a State described in that paragraph, the Secretary of the Interior shall offer all parcels eligible for oil and gas development under the resource management plan in effect for the State.
(3)

Replacement sales
If, for any reason, a lease sale under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year is canceled, delayed, or deferred, including for a lack of eligible parcels, the Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a replacement sale during the same fiscal year.
(c)

Requirement To submit documents and communications
(1)

In general
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives all documents and communications relating to the comprehensive review of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices required under section 208 of Executive Order 14008 (86 Fed. Reg. 7624; relating to tackling the climate crisis at home and abroad).
(2)

Inclusions
The submission under paragraph (1) shall include all documents and communications submitted to the Secretary of the Interior by members of the public in response to any public meeting or forum relating to the comprehensive review described in that paragraph.
(d)

Report
(1)

In general
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that describes—
(A)
the status of nominated parcels for future onshore oil and gas lease sales, including—
(i)
the number of expressions of interest that the Bureau of Land Management has not taken any action to review, or not completed review of, as of the date of enactment of this section; and
(ii)
how long such expressions of interest have been pending;
(B)
the status of each pending application for a permit to drill in each Bureau of Land Management State office as of the date of enactment of this section;
(C)
the number of applications for a permit to drill issued by each Bureau of Land Management State office as of the date of enactment of this section;
(D)
how the Bureau of Land Management determines whether to—
(i)
issue a permit to drill; and
(ii)
issue, extend, or suspend an oil and gas lease;
(E)
when determinations described in subparagraph (D) are sent to the national office of the Bureau of Land Management for final approval; and
(F)
the degree to which Bureau of Land Management field offices exercise discretion on such final approval.
(2)

Public availability of data
(A)

Expressions of interest
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this section, and each month thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior shall publish on the website of the Department of the Interior the number of pending, approved, and not approved expressions of interest in nominated parcels for future onshore oil and gas lease sales in the preceding month.
(B)

Applications for permits to drill
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this section, and each month thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior shall publish on the website of the Department of the Interior the number of pending and approved applications for permits to drill in the preceding month.
(e)

Processing applications for permits To drill
Section 17(p) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(4)

Effect of pending civil action on processing applications for permits to drill
The Secretary may not delay processing an application for a permit to drill under a valid existing lease on the basis that there is a pending civil action, unless and until a court determines the lease was not issued in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).”.