ated with 1 or more wells drilled and com-
pleted to produce oil or gas; and 
‘‘(ii) if necessary, compressors to raise 
the pressure of that transported natural 
gas to higher pressures suitable to enable 
the gas to flow into pipelines and other fa-
cilities. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘gas gath-
ering line and associated field compression 
units’ does not include a pipeline or compres-
sion units that are installed to transport nat-
ural gas from a processing plant to a common 
carrier pipeline or facility. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL LAND.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘Federal 
land’ means land the title to which is held by 
the United States. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘Federal 
land’ does not include— 
‘‘(i) a unit of the National Park Sys-
tem; 
‘‘(ii) a unit of the National Wildlife 
Refuge System; 
‘‘(iii) a component of the National 
Wilderness Preservation System; or 
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‘‘(iv) Indian land. 
‘‘(3) INDIAN
LAND.—The term ‘Indian land’ 
means land the title to which is held by— 
‘‘(A) the United States in trust for an In-
dian tribe or an individual Indian; or 
‘‘(B) an Indian tribe or an individual In-
dian subject to a restriction by the United 
States against alienation. 
‘‘(b) CERTAIN NATURAL GAS GATHERING LINES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the issuance of a sundry notice or right-of-way for 
a gas gathering line and associated field compression 
units that are located on Federal land or Indian 
land and that services any oil or gas well shall be 
considered to be an action that is categorically ex-
cluded (as defined in section 1508.4 of title 40, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this Act)) for purposes of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.) if the gas gathering line and associated field 
compression units are— 
‘‘(A) within a field or unit for which an ap-
proved land use plan or an environmental docu-
ment prepared pursuant to the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
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et seq.) analyzed transportation of natural gas 
produced from 1 or more oil or gas wells in that 
field or unit as a reasonably foreseeable activ-
ity; and 
‘‘(B) located adjacent to or within— 
‘‘(i) any existing disturbed area; or 
‘‘(ii) an existing corridor for a right- 
of-way. 
‘‘(2) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall 
apply to Indian land, or a portion of Indian land, for 
which the Indian tribe with jurisdiction over the In-
dian land submits to the Secretary of the Interior a 
written request that paragraph (1) apply to that In-
dian land (or portion of Indian land). 
‘‘(c) EFFECT ON OTHER LAW.—Nothing in this sec-
tion affects or alters any requirement— 
‘‘(1) relating to prior consent under— 
‘‘(A) section 2 of the Act of February 5, 
1948 (25 U.S.C. 324); or 
‘‘(B) section 16(e) of the Act of June 18, 
1934 (25 U.S.C. 476(e)) (commonly known as 
the ‘Indian Reorganization Act’); 
‘‘(2) under section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f); or 
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‘‘(3) under any other Federal law (including 
regulations) relating to tribal consent for rights-of- 
way across Indian land.’’. 
(b) ASSESSMENTS.—Title XVIII of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–58; 119 Stat. 1122) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1841. NATURAL GAS GATHERING SYSTEM ASSESS-
MENTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF GAS GATHERING LINE AND AS-
SOCIATED FIELD COMPRESSION UNITS.—In this section, 
the term ‘gas gathering line and associated field compres-
sion units’ has the meaning given the term in section 319. 
‘‘(b) STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Natural Gas Gathering Enhancement 
Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 
other appropriate Federal agencies, States, and Indian 
tribes, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources of the House of Representatives a study 
identifying— 
‘‘(1) any actions that may be taken, under Fed-
eral law (including regulations), to expedite permit-
ting for gas gathering lines and associated field com-
pression units that are located on Federal land or 
Indian land, for the purpose of transporting natural 
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gas associated with oil and gas production on any 
land to a processing plant or a common carrier pipe-
line for delivery to markets; and 
‘‘(2) any proposed changes to Federal law (in-
cluding regulations) to expedite permitting for gas 
gathering lines and associated field compression 
units that are located on Federal land, for the pur-
pose of transporting natural gas associated with oil 
and gas production on any land to a processing 
plant or a common carrier pipeline for delivery to 
markets. 
‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Natural Gas Gathering Enhancement 
Act, and every 1 year thereafter, the Secretary of the Inte-
rior, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agen-
cies, States, and Indian tribes, shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
of Representatives a report that describes— 
‘‘(1) the progress made in expediting permits 
for gas gathering lines and associated field compres-
sion units that are located on Federal land or Indian 
land, for the purpose of transporting natural gas as-
sociated with oil and gas production on any land to 
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