H. R. 6—144
for, and produce the oil and gas under applicable law and such 
regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. Not 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey the 
remaining mineral rights to the parties who as of the date of 
enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 would be recognized 
as holders of a right, title, or interest to any portion of such 
minerals under the laws of the State of Louisiana, but for the 
interest of the United States in such minerals. 
‘‘(c) OIL AND GAS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND REPORT.—The 
United States Geological Survey shall conduct a resource assess-
ment and publish a report of the findings of such resource assess-
ment (‘USGS Assessment and Report’) within 1 year of the date 
of enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The USGS Assess-
ment and Report shall provide an assessment of all oil and gas 
resources underlying the certain lands in Livingston Parish, Lou-
isiana, as described in section 103 (the ‘Livingston Parish lands’). 
Upon a finding by the Secretary of the Interior based upon the 
USGS Assessment and Report that it is unlikely that economically 
recoverable oil and gas resources are present, the Secretary shall 
convey all rights to oil and gas underlying such lands to the recipi-
ents, or their successors, heirs, or assigns, of the conveyances under 
subsection (b). Such further conveyances shall be made within 
180 days after a finding by the Secretary that it is unlikely that 
economically recoverable oil and gas resources are present.’’. 
Subtitle G—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 381. DEADLINE FOR DECISION ON APPEALS OF CONSISTENCY 
DETERMINATION UNDER THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGE-
MENT ACT OF 1972. 
Section 319 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 
U.S.C. 1465) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘APPEALS TO THE SECRETARY 
‘‘SEC. 319. (a) NOTICE.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the filing of an appeal to the Secretary of a consistency determina-
tion under section 307, the Secretary shall publish an initial notice 
in the Federal Register. 
‘‘(b) CLOSURE OF RECORD.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the end of the 160-day 
period beginning on the date of publication of an initial notice 
under subsection (a), except as provided in paragraph (3), the 
Secretary shall immediately close the decision record and 
receive no more filings on the appeal. 
‘‘(2) NOTICE.—After closing the administrative record, the 
Secretary shall immediately publish a notice in the Federal 
Register that the administrative record has been closed. 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), during 
the 160-day period described in paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary may stay the closing of the decision record— 
‘‘(i) for a specific period mutually agreed to in 
writing by the appellant and the State agency; or 
‘‘(ii) as the Secretary determines necessary to 
receive, on an expedited basis—
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‘‘(I) any supplemental information specifically 
requested by the Secretary to complete a consist-
ency review under this Act; or 
‘‘(II) any clarifying information submitted by 
a party to the proceeding related to information 
in the consolidated record compiled by the lead 
Federal permitting agency. 
‘‘(B) APPLICABILITY.—The Secretary may only stay the 
160-day period described in paragraph (1) for a period 
not to exceed 60 days. 
‘‘(c) DEADLINE FOR DECISION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of publication of a Federal Register notice stating when the 
decision record for an appeal has been closed, the Secretary 
shall issue a decision or publish a notice in the Federal Register 
explaining why a decision cannot be issued at that time. 
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT DECISION.—Not later than 15 days after 
the date of publication of a Federal Register notice explaining 
why a decision cannot be issued within the 60-day period, 
the Secretary shall issue a decision.’’. 
SEC. 382. APPEALS RELATING TO OFFSHORE MINERAL DEVELOPMENT. 
For any Federal administrative agency proceeding that is an 
appeal or review under section 319 of the Coastal Zone Management 
Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1465), as amended by this Act, related 
to any Federal authorization for the permitting, approval, or other 
authorization of an energy project, the lead Federal permitting 
agency for the project shall, with the cooperation of Federal and 
State administrative agencies, maintain a consolidated record of 
all decisions made or actions taken by the lead agency or by another 
Federal or State administrative agency or officer. Such record shall 
be the initial record for appeals or reviews under that Act, provided 
that the record may be supplemented as expressly provided pursu-
ant to section 319 of that Act. 
SEC. 383. ROYALTY PAYMENTS UNDER LEASES UNDER THE OUTER 
CONTINENTAL SHELF LANDS ACT. 
(a) ROYALTY RELIEF.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of providing compensation 
for lessees and a State for which amounts are authorized by 
section 6004(c) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (Public Law 
101–380), a lessee may withhold from payment any royalty 
due and owing to the United States under any leases under 
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301 et 
seq.) for offshore oil or gas production from a covered lease 
tract if, on or before the date that the payment is due and 
payable to the United States, the lessee makes a payment 
to the State of 44 cents for every $1 of royalty withheld. 
(2) TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS.—Any royalty withheld by a 
lessee in accordance with this section (including any portion 
thereof that is paid to the State under paragraph (1)) shall 
be treated as paid for purposes of satisfaction of the royalty 
obligations of the lessee to the United States. 
(3) CERTIFICATION OF WITHHELD AMOUNTS.—The Secretary 
of the Treasury shall— 
(A) determine the amount of royalty withheld by a 
lessee under this section; and