IB 
Union Calendar No. 384 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6285 
[Report No. 118–463] 
To ratify and approve all authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, 
biological opinions, incidental take statements, and any other approvals 
or orders issued pursuant to Federal law necessary for the establishment 
and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 8, 2023 
Mr. STAUBER (for himself, Mrs. PELTOLA, Mr. HERN, and Mr. PFLUGER) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources 
APRIL 15, 2024 
Additional sponsors: Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. WILSON of 
South Carolina, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mrs. MILLER of Illi-
nois, Mrs. BICE, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. GROTHMAN, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT 
of Georgia, Mr. CAREY, Ms. TENNEY, and Mr. BURLISON 
APRIL 15, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on November 8, 2023] 
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A BILL 
To 
ratify 
and 
approve 
all 
authorizations, 
permits, 
verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental 
take statements, and any other approvals or orders 
issued pursuant to Federal law necessary for the estab-
lishment and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and 
gas leasing program, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Alaska’s Right to 
Produce Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) Congress provided clear authorization and 
direction that the Secretary of the Interior ‘‘shall es-
tablish and administer a competitive oil and gas pro-
gram for the leasing, development, production, and 
transportation of oil and gas in and from the Coastal 
Plain’’ in section 20001 of Public Law 115–97 (16 
U.S.C. 3143 note) (commonly known as the Tax Cuts 
and Jobs Act); 
(2) the timely administration of the Coastal 
Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program is required and 
in the national and public interest; 
(3) the Department of the Interior’s cancelling of 
the leases for the covered Coastal Plain lease tracts 
represents a major decision of economic and political 
significance that Congress did not delegate to the Sec-
retary; 
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(4) the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act 
of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) requires that the Bu-
reau of Land Management— 
(A) allow for the exploration, development, 
and production of petroleum products in the Na-
tional Petroleum Reserve in Alaska; and 
(B) balance, to the extent consistent with 
that Act, the protection of ecological and cultural 
values in the National Petroleum Reserve in 
Alaska; and 
(5) the proposed rule of the Bureau of Land 
Management entitled ‘‘Management and Protection of 
the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska’’ (88 Fed. 
Reg. 62025 (September 8, 2023)) fails to reflect the 
intent of Congress for the Naval Petroleum Reserves 
Production Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COASTAL PLAIN.—The term ‘‘Coastal Plain’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 20001(a) 
of Public Law 115–97 (16 U.S.C. 3143 note). 
(2) COASTAL PLAIN OIL AND GAS LEASING PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing 
program’’ means the program established under sec-
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tion 20001(b)(2)(A) of Public Law 115–97 (16 U.S.C. 
3143 note). 
(3) COVERED COASTAL PLAIN LEASE TRACT.— 
The term ‘‘covered Coastal Plain lease tract’’ means 
any of tracts 16, 17, 24, 26, 27, and 30 as listed in 
exhibit B of the document published by the Bureau of 
Land Management entitled ‘‘Amendment to the De-
tailed Statement of Sale’’ and dated December 18, 
2020 (relating to oil and gas leasing within the 
Coastal Plain Alaska). 
(4) RECORD OF DECISION.—The term ‘‘Record of 
Decision’’ means the record of decision described in 
the notice of availability of the Bureau of Land Man-
agement entitled ‘‘Notice of Availability of the Record 
of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing 
Program, Alaska’’ (85 Fed. Reg. 51754 (August 21, 
2020)). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF ORDERS. 
(a) MORATORIUM ON OIL AND GAS LEASING.—Any 
order or action by the President or the Secretary that has 
the effect of placing a moratorium on or otherwise sus-
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pending or pausing oil and gas leasing in the Coastal Plain 
shall have no force or effect. 
(b) APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION OF EXISTING DOCU-
MENTATION AND AUTHORIZATIONS.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, Congress— 
(1) ratifies and approves all authorizations, per-
mits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, in-
cidental take statements, and any other approvals or 
orders issued pursuant to Federal law, as described in 
the Record of Decision, necessary for the establishment 
and administration of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas 
Leasing Program; and 
(2) directs the Secretary, the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads 
of other as applicable Federal departments and agen-
cies to process, reinstate, or continue to maintain 
such authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, 
biological opinions, incidental take statements, and 
any other approvals or orders described in paragraph 
(1). 
(c) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the authorizations, permits, 
verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental 
take statements, and any other approvals or orders de-
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scribed in subsection (b)(1) shall be considered to satisfy 
the requirements of— 
(1) section 1002 of the Alaska National Interest 
Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3142); 
(2) section 102(2)(c) of the National Environ-
mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c)); 
(3) section 20001 of Public Law 115–97 (16 
U.S.C. 3143 note); 
(4) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and 
(5) subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, United 
States Code, and chapter 7 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 5. COASTAL PLAIN OIL AND GAS LEASING PROGRAM. 
(a) REISSUANCE OF CANCELED LEASES.— 
(1) ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall, without modification or delay— 
(A) accept the highest valid bid for each 
covered Coastal Plain lease tract for which a 
valid bid was received on January 6, 2021, pur-
suant to the requirement to hold the first lease 
sale in the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing pro-
gram; and 
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(B) provide the appropriate lease form to 
each winning bidder under subparagraph (A) to 
execute and return to the Secretary. 
(2) LEASE ISSUANCE.—On receipt of an executed 
lease form under paragraph (1)(B) and payment in 
accordance with that lease of the rental for the first 
year, the balance of the bonus bid (unless deferred), 
and any required bond or security from the high bid-
der, the Secretary shall promptly issue to the high 
bidder a fully executed lease, in accordance with— 
(A) the applicable regulations, as in effect 
on January 6, 2021; and 
(B) the terms and conditions of the Record 
of Decision. 
(b) REQUIREMENT FOR FUTURE LEASES.— 
(1) SECOND LEASE SALE.—Not later than De-
cember 22, 2024, the Secretary shall conduct the sec-
ond 
lease 
sale 
required 
by 
section 
20001(c)(1)(B)(ii)(II) of Public Law 115–97 (16 
U.S.C. 3143 note) in accordance with the Record of 
Decision. 
(2) EXCEPTIONS FOR CANCELING A LEASE.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the Presi-
dent and the Secretary may not cancel a lease issued 
under the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program 
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if the Secretary has previously opened bids for such 
a lease or disclosed the high bidder for any tract that 
was included in a lease sale under the Coastal Plain 
oil and gas leasing program unless the lessee is in 
violation of the terms of the lease and fails to cure the 
violation after a reasonable period of time. 
(c) APPLICABILITY OF PRIOR RECORD OF DECISION.— 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and with re-
spect to reissuing leases under subsection (a), the Record 
of Decision shall be considered to satisfy the requirements 
of— 
(1) section 1002 of the Alaska National Interest 
Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3142); 
(2) section 102(2)(c) of the National Environ-
mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c)); 
(3) section 20001 of Public Law 115–97 (16 
U.S.C. 3143 note); 
(4) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Public 
Law 93–205; 16 U.S.C. 1533); and 
(5) subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, United 
States Code, and chapter 7 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(d) WITHDRAWAL
OF
SUPPLEMENTAL
ENVIRON-
MENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.—The Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management— 
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(1) shall withdraw the notice of availability enti-
tled ‘‘Notice of Availability of the Draft Coastal Plain 
Oil and Gas Leasing Program Supplemental Envi-
ronmental Impact Statement’’ (88 Fed. Reg. 62104 
(September 8, 2023)); and 
(2) may not take any action to finalize, imple-
ment, or enforce the supplemental environmental im-
pact statement described in paragraph (1). 
(e) JUDICIAL REVIEW.— 
(1) 
JUDICIAL
PRECLUSION.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law and except as provided in 
paragraph (2), no court shall have jurisdiction to re-
view any action taken by the Secretary, the Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency, a 
State administrative agency, an Indian Tribe, or any 
other Federal agency acting pursuant to Federal law 
that grants an authorization, permit, verification, bi-
ological opinion, incidental take statement, or other 
approval described in section 4(b) for the Coastal 
Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, whether issued 
prior to, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and including any lawsuit or any other action pend-
ing in a court as of the date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) FORUM
EXCLUSIVITY.—The United States 
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 
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shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over 
any claim regarding— 
(A) the validity of this section; or 
(B) the scope of authority conferred by this 
section. 
(3) RIGHT TO PETITION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (1), a lease holder may obtain a review of 
an alleged failure by an agency to act in accord-
ance with section 20001 of Public Law 115–97 
(16 U.S.C. 3143 note) or with any law per-
taining to the grant of an authorization, permit, 
verification, biological opinion, incidental take 
statement, or other approval related to the lease 
holder’s lease by filing a written petition with a 
court of competent jurisdiction seeking an order 
under subparagraph (B). 
(B) DEADLINES.—If a court of competent 
jurisdiction finds that an agency has failed to 
act in accordance with section 20001 of Public 
Law 115–97 (16 U.S.C. 3143 note) or with any 
law pertaining to the grant of an authorization, 
permit, verification, biological opinion, inci-
dental take statement, or other approval related 
to the lease holder’s lease, the court shall set a 
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schedule and deadline for the agency to act as 
soon as practicable, which shall not exceed 90 
days from the date on which the order of the 
court is issued, unless the court determines a 
longer time period is necessary to comply with 
applicable law. 
SEC. 6. NULLIFICATION OF CERTAIN FEDERAL AGENCY AC-
TIONS. 
(a) NPRA RULE.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the Bureau of Land Management— 
(1) shall withdraw the proposed rule of the Bu-
reau of Land Management entitled ‘‘Management and 
Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alas-
ka’’ (88 Fed. Reg. 62025 (September 8, 2023)); and 
(2) may not take any action to finalize, imple-
ment, administer, or enforce the proposed rule de-
scribed in paragraph (1) or any substantially similar 
rule. 
(b) EXECUTIVE ORDER 13990.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 of Executive Order 
13990 (86 Fed. Reg. 7037; relating to protecting pub-
lic health and the environment and restoring science 
to tackle the climate crisis) shall have no force or ef-
fect. 
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