H. R. 6—129
proposed regulations that set forth specific timeframes for proc-
essing leases and applications in accordance with the best 
management practices, including deadlines for— 
(A) approving or disapproving— 
(i) resource management plans and related docu-
ments; 
(ii) lease applications; 
(iii) applications for permits to drill; and 
(iv) surface use plans; and 
(B) related administrative appeals. 
(c) IMPROVED ENFORCEMENT.—The Secretary and the Secretary 
of Agriculture shall improve inspection and enforcement of oil and 
gas activities, including enforcement of terms and conditions in 
permits to drill on land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary 
and the Secretary of Agriculture, respectively. 
(d) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—In 
addition 
to 
amounts made available to carry out activities relating to oil and 
gas leasing on public land administered by the Secretary and 
National Forest System land administered by the Secretary of Agri-
culture, there are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal 
years 2006 through 2010— 
(1) to the Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
Bureau of Land Management— 
(A) $40,000,000 to carry out subsections (a)(1) and 
(b); and 
(B) $20,000,000 to carry out subsection (c); 
(2) to the Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, $5,000,000 to carry 
out subsection (a)(1); and 
(3) to the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service, $5,000,000 to carry out subsections 
(a)(2) and (c). 
SEC. 363. CONSULTATION REGARDING OIL AND GAS LEASING ON 
PUBLIC LAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior and the Sec-
retary of Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of under-
standing regarding oil and gas leasing on— 
(1) public land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
the Interior; and 
(2) National Forest System land under the jurisdiction 
of the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The memorandum of understanding shall 
include provisions that— 
(1) establish administrative procedures and lines of 
authority that ensure timely processing of— 
(A) oil and gas lease applications; 
(B) surface use plans of operation, including steps for 
processing surface use plans; and 
(C) applications for permits to drill consistent with 
applicable timelines; 
(2) eliminate duplication of effort by providing for coordina-
tion of planning and environmental compliance efforts; 
(3) ensure that lease stipulations are— 
(A) applied consistently; 
(B) coordinated between agencies; and
H. R. 6—130
(C) only as restrictive as necessary to protect the 
resource for which the stipulations are applied; 
(4) establish a joint data retrieval system that is capable 
of— 
(A) tracking applications and formal requests made 
in accordance with procedures of the Federal onshore oil 
and gas leasing program; and 
(B) providing information regarding the status of the 
applications and requests within the Department of the 
Interior and the Department of Agriculture; and 
(5) establish a joint geographic information system mapping 
system for use in— 
(A) tracking surface resource values to aid in resource 
management; and 
(B) processing surface use plans of operation and 
applications for permits to drill. 
SEC. 364. ESTIMATES OF OIL AND GAS RESOURCES UNDERLYING 
ONSHORE FEDERAL LAND. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—Section 604 of the Energy Act of 2000 (42 
U.S.C. 6217) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘reserve’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) the extent and nature of any restrictions or impedi-
ments to the development of the resources, including— 
‘‘(A) impediments to the timely granting of leases; 
‘‘(B) post-lease restrictions, impediments, or delays on 
development for conditions of approval, applications for 
permits to drill, or processing of environmental permits; 
and 
‘‘(C) permits or restrictions associated with trans-
porting the resources for entry into commerce; and 
‘‘(3) the quantity of resources not produced or introduced 
into commerce because of the restrictions.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘reserve’’ and inserting ‘‘resource’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘publically’’ and inserting ‘‘publicly’’; 
and 
(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(d) ASSESSMENTS.—Using the inventory, the Secretary of 
Energy shall make periodic assessments of economically recoverable 
resources accounting for a range of parameters such as current 
costs, commodity prices, technology, and regulations.’’. 
(b) METHODOLOGY.—The Secretary of the Interior shall use 
the same assessment methodology across all geological provinces, 
areas, and regions in preparing and issuing national geological 
assessments to ensure accurate comparisons of geological resources. 
SEC. 365. PILOT PROJECT TO IMPROVE FEDERAL PERMIT COORDINA-
TION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior (referred 
to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish a Federal 
Permit Streamlining Pilot Project (referred to in this section as 
the ‘‘Pilot Project’’).