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Lets certain oil and gas drilling on private or state land move forward without a federal drilling permit when the federal government owns less than half of the mineral rights and a valid state permit is submitted. Work can start 30 days after the state permit is submitted. It treats these projects as not requiring federal environmental review under NEPA and exempts them from certain historic‑preservation and endangered‑species reviews. It keeps federal royalty payment rules and audit authority in place and does not apply to Indian lands.
Adds subsection (r) to Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226) to create rules about federal permitting for oil and gas activities on non‑Federal surface estate.
The Secretary shall not require an operator to obtain a Federal drilling permit for oil and gas exploration and production activities conducted on non‑Federal surface estate, provided the conditions in this subsection are met.
Condition A: The United States must hold an ownership interest of less than 50 percent of the subsurface mineral estate to be accessed by the proposed action.
Condition B: The operator must submit to the Secretary a State permit to conduct oil and gas exploration and production activities on the non‑Federal surface estate.
An oil and gas exploration and production activity carried out under paragraph (1) shall not be considered a major Federal action for purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
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Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced February 25, 2025 by Stephanie I. Bice · Last progress February 25, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House