IB
Union Calendar No. 439
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1467
[Report No. 105–770]
To provide for the continuance of oil and gas operations pursuant to certain
existing leases in the Wayne National Forest.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 28, 1998
Mr. NEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committ on
Resources
OCTOBER 5, 1998
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]
A BILL
To provide for the continuance of oil and gas operations
pursuant to certain existing leases in the Wayne National
Forest.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ELECTION TO CONTINUE OIL AND GAS OPER-
ATIONS UNDER CERTAIN EXISTING LEASES.
In the case of the Wayne National Forest, an election
under section 17(b)(3) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30
U.S.C. 226(b)(3)), including an election made before the
date of enactment of this Act, shall be deemed to be an
election to continue operations pursuant to the existing
lease instead of an election to continue the lease as a non-
competitive lease under section 17(c)(1) of that Act, and
in the case of any such election, the provisions of subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) of such section 17(b)(3) shall not
apply. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any lands
subject to an election made by a leaseholder under such
section 17(b)(3) before the date of enactment of this Act
if the lease holder notifies the Secretary of the Interior
(within 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act)
that the leaseholder intends such election to remain an
election to continue the lease as a noncompetitive lease
under section 17(c)(1) of that Act.
SECTION 1. OIL AND GAS WELLS IN WAYNE NATIONAL
FOREST, OHIO.
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of the Interior may
enter into noncompetitive oil and gas production and rec-
lamation contracts in accordance with this section with op-
erators of wells in the Wayne National Forest in the State
of Ohio who meet the criteria of section 17(b)(3)(A) of the
Act of February 25, 1920 (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(3)(A)) pursu-
ant to private land mineral leases which were in effect on
and after the date of the enactment of this section, subject
to the same laws and regulations that applied to those pri-
vate land mineral leases.
(b) ADDITIONAL DRILLING.—No contract under this
section may authorize deeper completions or additional
drilling.
(c) BONDING.—
(1) WAIVER OF FEDERAL BONDING.—Each con-
tract under this section shall require the contractor to
provide a Federal oil and gas bond to ensure complete
and timely reclamation of the former lease tract in
accordance with the regulations of the Bureau of
Land Management and the Forest Service, unless the
Secretary of the Interior accepts in lieu thereof assur-
ances from the Ohio Department of Natural Re-
sources, Division of Oil and Gas, that—
(A) the contractor has duly satisfied the
bonding requirements of the State of Ohio; and
following inspection of operator performance, the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources is not op-
posed to such waiver of Federal bonding require-
ments;
(B) the United States of America is entitled
to apply for and receive funding under the pro-
vision of section 1509.071 of the Ohio Revised
Code so as to properly plug and restore oil and
gas sites and lease tracts; and
(C) during the 2 years prior to the date on
which the contract is entered into no less than 20
percent of Ohio State severance tax revenues has
been allocated to the State of Ohio Orphan Well
Fund.
(2) CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH 20 PERCENT
REQUIREMENT.—In entering into any contract under
this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall reserve
the right to require the contractor to comply with all
Federal oil and gas bonding requirements applicable
to Federal oil and gas leases under the regulations of
the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest
Service whenever the Secretary finds that less than 20
percent of Ohio State severance tax revenues has been
allocated to the State of Ohio Orphan Well Fund.
Union Calendar No. 439
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H.R. 1467
[Report No. 105–770]
A BILL
To provide for the continuance of oil and gas oper-
ations pursuant to certain existing leases in the
Wayne National Forest.
OCTOBER 5, 1998
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Commit-
tee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and
ordered to be printed