Sponsors (4)
The bill speeds and simplifies state-permitted oil and gas development and preserves federal revenue/enforcement capacity, but does so by removing federal environmental, species, and cultural reviews and creating state-by-state variability that shifts risks to local communities and Indigenous peoples.
State-permitted operators (especially small energy companies and utilities) can start approved oil and gas activities within 30 days and face less duplicative federal permitting when the U.S. owns <50% of the subsurface, speeding project starts and lowering regulatory delay.
Taxpayers retain federal royalty receipts and the federal government's audit and civil-penalty authority, preserving federal revenue streams from production.
The Department of the Interior is allowed to conduct onsite inspections to verify production and royalty reporting, supporting federal accountability and enforcement.
Communities (rural and urban) lose federal NEPA review and public federal environmental analysis for these projects, removing a national-level environmental review and public input that can prevent or mitigate harms.
Listed species and habitats face greater risk because projects are exempted from ESA Section 7 consultation, removing federal species protections and threat assessments.
Historic and cultural sites (including tribal resources) may be harmed because projects are exempted from NHPA Section 106 review, reducing federal protection and tribal or public consultation about impacts to cultural heritage.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prevents the Interior Secretary from requiring federal drilling permits or federal NEPA/NHPA/ESA reviews for oil/gas on non‑Federal surface when the U.S. owns <50% of the subsurface and a state permit is filed.
Introduced February 25, 2025 by Stephanie I. Bice · Last progress February 25, 2025
Prohibits the Department of the Interior from requiring a federal drilling permit for oil and gas exploration and production on non‑Federal surface when the United States owns less than 50% of the subsurface mineral estate and the operator has a state permit. It also treats those activities as not a major federal action under NEPA, exempts them from Section 106 historic‑preservation review and Section 7 endangered‑species consultation, allows operations to begin 30 days after the state permit is submitted, and preserves federal royalty, audit, civil‑penalty, and onsite inspection authorities. Indian lands are explicitly excluded from the new rule.