Sec. 20214. Access to Federal energy resources from non-Federal surface estate
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/bill/118/hr/2811/pcs/section-20214A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act ( 30 U.S.C. 226 ) is further amended by adding at the end the following: 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 that— the United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50 percent of the subsurface mineral estate to be accessed by the proposed action; and the operator submits 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 the purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; shall require no additional Federal action; may commence 30 days after submission of the State permit to the Secretary; and shall not be subject to— section 306108 of title 54, United States Code (commonly known as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966); and section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1536 ).
Nothing in this subsection shall affect the amount of royalties due to the United States under this Act from the production of oil and gas, or alter the Secretary’s authority to conduct audits and collect civil penalties pursuant to the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 ( 30 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ). The Secretary may conduct onsite reviews and inspections to ensure proper accountability, measurement, and reporting of production of Federal oil and gas, and payment of royalties.
This subsection shall not apply to actions on Indian lands or resources managed in trust for the benefit of Indian Tribes. In this subsection, the term Indian land means— any land located within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria; and any land not located within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria, the title to which is held— in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian tribe or an individual Indian; by an Indian tribe or an individual Indian, subject to restriction against alienation under laws of the United States; or by a dependent Indian community. .
The Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 ( 30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary shall not require an operator to obtain a Federal drilling permit for geothermal exploration and production activities conducted on a non-Federal surface estate, provided that— the United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50 percent of the subsurface geothermal estate to be accessed by the proposed action; and the operator submits to the Secretary a State permit to conduct geothermal exploration and production activities on the non-Federal surface estate.
A geothermal exploration and production activity carried out under paragraph (1)— shall not be considered a major Federal action for the purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; shall require no additional Federal action; may commence 30 days after submission of the State permit to the Secretary; and shall not be subject to— section 306108 of title 54, United States Code (commonly known as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966); and section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1536 ).
Nothing in this section shall affect the amount of royalties due to the United States under this Act from the production of electricity using geothermal resources (other than direct use of geothermal resources) or the production of any byproducts. The Secretary may conduct onsite reviews and inspections to ensure proper accountability, measurement, and reporting of the production described in paragraph (1), and payment of royalties. This section shall not apply to actions on Indian lands or resources managed in trust for the benefit of Indian Tribes.
In this section, the term Indian land means— any land located within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria; and any land not located within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria, the title to which is held— in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian tribe or an individual Indian; by an Indian tribe or an individual Indian, subject to restriction against alienation under laws of the United States; or by a dependent Indian community. .
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Sec. 20214
Access to Federal energy resources from non-Federal surface estate
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