I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8214 
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 
MAY 1, 2024 
Mrs. PELTOLA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
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. 
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 ‘‘Alaskan Energy Pro-
duction and Fisheries Protection Act’’. 
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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 Coast-
al 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 Secretary; 
(4) the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production 
Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) requires that 
the Bureau of Land Management— 
(A) allow for the exploration, development, 
and production of petroleum products in the 
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska; and 
(B) balance, to the extent consistent with 
that Act, the protection of ecological and cul-
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tural 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 re-
flect 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-
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 Bu-
reau of Land Management entitled ‘‘Amendment to 
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the Detailed Statement of Sale’’ and dated Decem-
ber 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 
Management entitled ‘‘Notice of Availability of the 
Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Im-
pact 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-
pending or pausing oil and gas leasing in the Coastal Plain 
shall have no force or effect. 
(b) APPROVAL
AND RATIFICATION
OF EXISTING 
DOCUMENTATION
AND
AUTHORIZATIONS.—Notwith-
standing 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 
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orders issued pursuant to Federal law, as described 
in the Record of Decision, necessary for the estab-
lishment 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 
agencies to process, reinstate, or continue to main-
tain such authorizations, permits, verifications, ex-
tensions, biological opinions, incidental take state-
ments, and any other approvals or orders described 
in paragraph (1). 
(c) APPLICABILITY
OF
OTHER
LAW.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the authorizations, 
permits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, inci-
dental take statements, and any other approvals or orders 
described in subsection (b)(1) shall be considered to sat-
isfy the requirements of— 
(1) section 1002 of the Alaska National Inter-
est 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); 
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(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 
Secretary 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 
program; and 
(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 exe-
cuted lease form under paragraph (1)(B) and pay-
ment 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 bidder, the Secretary shall promptly issue 
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to the high bidder a fully executed lease, in accord-
ance 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 
second 
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.— 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
President and the Secretary may not cancel a lease 
issued under the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing 
program 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. 
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(c) APPLICABILITY
OF PRIOR RECORD
OF DECI-
SION.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law and 
with respect to reissuing leases under subsection (a), the 
Record of Decision shall be considered to satisfy the re-
quirements of— 
(1) section 1002 of the Alaska National Inter-
est 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 Bu-
reau of Land Management— 
(1) shall withdraw the notice of availability en-
titled ‘‘Notice of Availability of the Draft Coastal 
Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement’’ (88 Fed. Reg. 
62104 (September 8, 2023)); and 
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(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 
pending 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 Cir-
cuit shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction 
over any claim regarding— 
(A) the validity of this section; or 
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(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 ac-
cordance 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, per-
mit, 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 
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 
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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 
Alaska’’ (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.—Subsections (a) and (c) of 
section 4 of Executive Order 13990 (86 Fed. Reg. 
7037; relating to protecting public health and the 
environment and restoring science to tackle the cli-
mate crisis) shall have no force or effect. 
(2) FUNDING.—No Federal funds may be obli-
gated or expended to carry out subsection (a) or (c) 
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