[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 20, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 71. Mr. LEE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him 
to the bill S. 1, to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS TO DRILL REFORM AND 
                   PROCESS.

       Section 17(p) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)) 
     is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(2) Applications for permits to drill reform and 
     process.--
       ``(A) Timeline.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall decide whether to 
     issue a permit to drill not later than 30 days after 
     receiving an application for the permit.
       ``(ii) Extension.--The Secretary may extend the period in 
     clause (i) for up to 2 periods of 15 days each, if the 
     Secretary has given written notice of the delay to the 
     applicant.
       ``(iii) Notice requirements.--Written notice under clause 
     (ii) shall--

       ``(I) be in the form of a letter from the Secretary or a 
     designee of the Secretary; and
       ``(II) include the names and titles of the persons 
     processing the application, the specific reasons for the 
     delay, and a specific date a final decision on the 
     application is expected.

       ``(B) Notice of reasons for denial.--If the application is 
     denied, the Secretary shall provide the applicant--
       ``(i) in writing, clear and comprehensive reasons why the 
     application was not accepted and detailed information 
     concerning any deficiencies; and
       ``(ii) an opportunity to remedy any deficiencies.
       ``(C) Application considered approved.--
       ``(i) In general.--If the Secretary has not made a decision 
     on the application by the end of the 60-day period beginning 
     on the date the application is received by the Secretary, the 
     application is considered approved, except in cases in which 
     existing reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act 
     of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) or the Endangered Species 
     Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) are incomplete.
       ``(ii) Environmental reviews.--Existing reviews under the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
     seq.) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 
     et seq.) shall be completed not later than 180 days after 
     receiving an application for the permit.
       ``(iii) Failure to complete.--If all existing reviews are 
     not completed during the 180-day period described in clause 
     (ii), the project subject to the application shall be 
     considered to have no significant impact in accordance with 
     section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
     1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) and section 7(a)(2) of the 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) and 
     that classification shall be considered to be a final agency 
     action.
       ``(D) Denial of permit.--If the Secretary decides not to 
     issue a permit to drill in accordance with subparagraph (A), 
     the Secretary shall--
       ``(i) provide to the applicant a description of the reasons 
     for the denial of the permit;
       ``(ii) allow the applicant to resubmit an application for a 
     permit to drill during the 10-day period beginning on the 
     date the applicant receives the description of the denial 
     from the Secretary; and
       ``(iii) issue or deny any resubmitted application not later 
     than 10 days after the date the application is submitted to 
     the Secretary.
       ``(E) Judicial review.--Actions of the Secretary carried 
     out in accordance with this paragraph shall not be subject to 
     judicial review.''.
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