To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to provide for the payment of bonus payments of certain coal leases issued under that Act.

Summary

Requires bonus payments for coal leases offered under a deferred bonus payment system to be paid in 10 equal annual installments, with the first installment due when the bid is submitted. This standardizes the payment schedule for deferred coal lease bonuses and changes the timing of cash flow for bidders and the federal government.

• Mandates 10 equal annual installments for deferred coal lease bonus payments.
• Requires the first installment to be paid when the bid is submitted.
• Standardizes payment timing for coal lease bonus payments under the deferred option.
• Affects bidders' financing and cash-flow planning by requiring an upfront payment.
• Alters timing of federal receipts from lease bonus payments, concentrating an initial payment at bid time followed by annual payments.
• Does not address interest, penalties, defaults, or alternative payment schedules.
• Applies to coal leases governed by the Mineral Leasing Act's deferred bonus system.
• Implementation and enforcement fall to agencies that manage leasing and revenue collection.