‘‘(5) ANNUAL FEES.—Annual fees shall be col-
lected under this subsection for facilities that are 
above the waterline, excluding drilling rigs, and are 
in place at the start of the fiscal year. Fees for fiscal 
year 2013 shall be— 
‘‘(A) $10,500 for facilities with no wells, 
but with processing equipment or gathering 
lines; 
‘‘(B) $17,000 for facilities with 1 to 10 
wells, with any combination of active or inactive 
wells; and 
‘‘(C) $31,500 for facilities with more than 
10 wells, with any combination of active or in-
active wells. 
‘‘(6) FEES FOR DRILLING RIGS.—Fees for drill-
ing rigs shall be assessed under this subsection for 
all inspections completed in fiscal years 2015 
through 2024. Fees for fiscal year 2015 shall be— 
‘‘(A) $30,500 per inspection for rigs oper-
ating in water depths of 1,000 feet or more; 
and 
‘‘(B) $16,700 per inspection for rigs oper-
ating in water depths of less than 1,000 feet. 
‘‘(7) BILLING.—The Secretary shall bill des-
ignated operators under paragraph (5) within 60
days after the date of the inspection, with payment 
required within 30 days of billing. The Secretary 
shall bill designated operators under paragraph (6) 
within 30 days of the end of the month in which the 
inspection occurred, with payment required within 
30 days after billing. 
‘‘(8) SUNSET.—No fee may be collected under 
this subsection for any fiscal year after fiscal year 
2024. 
‘‘(9) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 60 
days after the end of each fiscal year beginning 
with fiscal year 2015, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate and the Committee on 
Natural Resources of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the operation of the Fund dur-
ing the fiscal year. 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—Each report shall in-
clude, for the fiscal year covered by the report, 
the following: 
‘‘(i) A statement of the amounts de-
posited into the Fund. 
‘‘(ii) A description of the expenditures 
made from the Fund for the fiscal year, in-
cluding the purpose of the expenditures 
and the additional hiring of personnel. 
‘‘(iii) A statement of the balance re-
maining in the Fund at the end of the fis-
cal year. 
‘‘(iv) An accounting of pace of permit 
approvals. 
‘‘(v) If fee increases are proposed 
after the initial 10-year period referred to 
in paragraph (5), a proper accounting of 
the potential adverse economic impacts 
such fee increases will have on offshore 
economic activity and overall production, 
conducted by the Secretary. 
‘‘(vi) Recommendations to increase 
the efficacy and efficiency of offshore in-
spections. 
‘‘(vii) Any corrective actions levied 
upon offshore inspectors as a result of any 
form of misconduct.’’. 
SEC. 10410. PROHIBITION ON ACTION BASED ON NATIONAL 
OCEAN POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER EXECU-
TIVE ORDER NO. 13547. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—The Bureau of Ocean Energy 
and the Ocean Energy Safety Service may not develop,
propose, finalize, administer, or implement, any limitation 
on activities under their jurisdiction as a result of the 
coastal and marine spatial planning component of the Na-
tional Ocean Policy developed under Executive Order No. 
13547. 
(b) REPORT ON EXPENDITURES.—Not later than 60 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President 
shall submit a report to the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
identifying all Federal expenditures in fiscal years 2011, 
2012, 2013, and 2014 by the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
and the Ocean Energy Safety Service and their prede-
cessor agencies, by agency, account, and any pertinent 
subaccounts, for the development, administration, or im-
plementation of the coastal and marine spatial planning 
component of the National Ocean Policy developed under 
Executive Order No. 13547, including staff time, travel, 
and other related expenses.
Subtitle E—United States 
Territories 
SEC. 10501. APPLICATION OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 
LANDS ACT WITH RESPECT TO TERRITORIES 
OF THE UNITED STATES. 
Section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1331) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (a), by inserting after ‘‘con-
trol’’ the following: ‘‘or lying within the United 
States exclusive economic zone and the Continental 
Shelf adjacent to any territory of the United 
States’’; 
(2) in paragraph (p), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon at the end; 
(3) in paragraph (q), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(r) The term ‘State’ includes each territory of the 
United States.’’.
Subtitle F—Miscellaneous 
Provisions 
SEC. 10601. RULES REGARDING DISTRIBUTION OF REVE-
NUES UNDER GULF OF MEXICO ENERGY SE-
CURITY ACT OF 2006. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior 
shall issue rules to provide more clarity, certainty, and sta-
bility to the revenue streams contemplated by the Gulf of 
Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 
note). 
(b) CONTENTS.—The rules shall include clarification 
of the timing and methods of disbursements of funds 
under section 105(b)(2) of such Act. 
SEC. 10602. AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTED QUALIFIED OUTER 
CONTINENTAL SHELF REVENUES. 
Section 105(f)(1) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Secu-
rity Act of 2006 (title I of division C of Public Law 109– 
432; 43 U.S.C. 1331 note) shall be applied by substituting 
‘‘2024, and shall not exceed $999,999,999 for each of fis-
cal years 2025 through 2055’’ for ‘‘2055’’. 
SEC. 10603. SOUTH ATLANTIC OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 
PLANNING AREA DEFINED. 
For the purposes of this Act, the Outer Continental 
Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), and any regula-
tions or 5-year plan issued under that Act, the term 
‘‘South Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area’’ 
means the area of the outer Continental Shelf (as defined 
in section 2 of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1331)) that is located 
between the northern lateral seaward administrative 
boundary of the State of Virginia and the southernmost 
lateral seaward administrative boundary of the State of 
Georgia. 
SEC. 10604. ENHANCING GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL 
INFORMATION FOR AMERICA’S ENERGY FU-
TURE. 
Section 11 of the Outer Continental Shelf lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1340) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(i) ENHANCING GEOLOGICAL
AND GEOPHYSICAL 
INFORMATION FOR AMERICA’S ENERGY FUTURE.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary, acting through the Director 
of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, shall 
facilitate and support the practical study of geology 
and geophysics to better understand the oil, gas, and 
other hydrocarbon potential in the South Atlantic 
Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area by entering 
into partnerships to conduct geological and geo-
physical activities on the outer Continental Shelf.
‘‘(2)(A) No later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of the Lowering Gasoline Prices to 
Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014, the Gov-
ernors of the States of Georgia, South Carolina, 
North Carolina, and Virginia may each nominate for 
participation in the partnerships— 
‘‘(i) one institution of higher education lo-
cated within the Governor’s State; and 
‘‘(ii) one institution of higher education 
within the Governor’s State that is a histori-
cally black college or university, as defined in 
section 631(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a)). 
‘‘(B) In making nominations, the Governors 
shall give preference to those institutions of higher 
education that demonstrate a vigorous rate of ad-
mission of veterans of the Armed Forces of the 
United States. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall only select as a part-
ner a nominee that the Secretary determines dem-
onstrates excellence in geophysical sciences cur-
riculum, engineering curriculum, or information 
technology or other technical studies relating to seis-
mic research (including data processing).
‘‘(4) Notwithstanding subsection (d), nominees 
selected as partners by the Secretary may conduct 
geological and geophysical activities under this sec-
tion after filing a notice with the Secretary 30-days 
prior to commencement of the activity without any 
further authorization by the Secretary except those 
activities that use solid or liquid explosives shall re-
quire a permit. The Secretary may not charge any 
fee for the provision of data or other information 
collected under this authority, other than the cost of 
duplicating any data or information provided. Nomi-
nees selected as partners under this section shall 
provide to the Secretary any data or other informa-
tion collected under this subsection within 60 days 
after completion of an initial analysis of the data or 
other information collected, if so requested by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(5) Data or other information produced as a 
result of activities conducted by nominees selected as 
partners under this subsection shall not be used or 
shared for commercial purposes by the nominee, may 
not be produced for proprietary use or sale, and 
shall be made available by the Secretary to the pub-
lic.
‘‘(6) The Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources of the Senate reports on the data or 
other information produced under the partnerships 
under this section. Such reports shall be made no 
less frequently than every 180 days following the 
conduct of the first geological and geophysical activi-
ties under this section. 
‘‘(7) In this subsection the term ‘geological and 
geophysical activities’ means any oil- or gas-related 
investigation conducted on the outer Continental 
Shelf, including geophysical surveys where magnetic, 
gravity, seismic, or other systems are used to detect 
or imply the presence of oil or gas.’’. 
Subtitle G—Judicial Review 
SEC. 10701. TIME FOR FILING COMPLAINT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Any cause of action that arises 
from a covered energy decision must be filed not later than 
the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the 
covered energy decision. Any cause of action not filed with-
in this time period shall be barred. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to 
a cause of action brought by a party to a covered energy 
lease.
SEC. 10702. DISTRICT COURT DEADLINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—All proceedings that are subject 
to section 10701— 
(1) shall be brought in the United States dis-
trict court for the district in which the Federal prop-
erty for which a covered energy lease is issued is lo-
cated or the United States District Court of the Dis-
trict of Columbia; 
(2) shall be resolved as expeditiously as pos-
sible, and in any event not more than 180 days after 
such cause or claim is filed; and 
(3) shall take precedence over all other pending 
matters before the district court. 
(b) FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH DEADLINE.—If an 
interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order has not 
been issued by the district court by the deadline described 
under this section, the cause or claim shall be dismissed 
with prejudice and all rights relating to such cause or 
claim shall be terminated. 
SEC. 10703. ABILITY TO SEEK APPELLATE REVIEW. 
An interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order 
of the district court in a proceeding that is subject to sec-
tion 10701 may be reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals 
for the District of Columbia Circuit. The D.C. Circuit 
shall resolve any such appeal as expeditiously as possible 
and, in any event, not more than 180 days after such in-
terlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order of the dis-
trict court was issued. 
SEC. 10704. LIMITATION ON SCOPE OF REVIEW AND RE-
LIEF. 
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE
FINDINGS
AND
CONCLU-
SIONS.—In any judicial review of any Federal action under 
this subtitle, any administrative findings and conclusions 
relating to the challenged Federal action shall be pre-
sumed to be correct unless shown otherwise by clear and 
convincing evidence contained in the administrative 
record. 
(b) LIMITATION ON PROSPECTIVE RELIEF.—In any 
judicial review of any action, or failure to act, under this 
subtitle, the Court shall not grant or approve any prospec-
tive relief unless the Court finds that such relief is nar-
rowly drawn, extends no further than necessary to correct 
the violation of a Federal law requirement, and is the least 
intrusive means necessary to correct the violation con-
cerned. 
SEC. 10705. LEGAL FEES. 
Any person filing a petition seeking judicial review 
of any action, or failure to act, under this subtitle who 
is not a prevailing party shall pay to the prevailing parties 
(including intervening parties), other than the United 
States, fees and other expenses incurred by that party in
connection with the judicial review, unless the Court finds 
that the position of the person was substantially justified 
or that special circumstances make an award unjust. 
SEC. 10706. EXCLUSION. 
This subtitle shall not apply with respect to disputes 
between the parties to a lease issued pursuant to an au-
thorizing leasing statute regarding the obligations of such 
lease or the alleged breach thereof. 
SEC. 10707. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle, the following definitions apply: 
(1) COVERED
ENERGY
DECISION.—The term 
‘‘covered energy decision’’ means any action or deci-
sion by a Federal official regarding the issuance of 
a covered energy lease. 
(2) COVERED ENERGY LEASE.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered energy lease’’ means any lease under this title 
or under an oil and gas leasing program under this 
title. 
TITLE II—ONSHORE FEDERAL 
LANDS AND ENERGY SECURITY 
Subtitle A—Federal Lands Jobs 
and Energy Security 
SEC. 21001. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Lands 
Jobs and Energy Security Act’’.
SEC. 21002. POLICIES REGARDING BUYING, BUILDING, AND 
WORKING FOR AMERICA. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.—It is the intent of the 
Congress that— 
(1) this subtitle will support a healthy and 
growing United States domestic energy sector that, 
in turn, helps to reinvigorate American manufac-
turing, transportation, and service sectors by em-
ploying the vast talents of United States workers to 
assist in the development of energy from domestic 
sources; 
(2) to ensure a robust onshore energy produc-
tion industry and ensure that the benefits of devel-
opment support local communities, under this sub-
title, the Secretary shall make every effort to pro-
mote the development of onshore American energy, 
and shall take into consideration the socioeconomic 
impacts, infrastructure requirements, and fiscal sta-
bility for local communities located within areas con-
taining onshore energy resources; and 
(3) the Congress will monitor the deployment of 
personnel and material onshore to encourage the de-
velopment of American manufacturing to enable 
United States workers to benefit from this subtitle 
through good jobs and careers, as well as the estab-
lishment of important industrial facilities to support 
expanded access to American resources. 
(b) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior 
shall when possible, and practicable, encourage the use of 
United States workers and equipment manufactured in 
the United States in all construction related to mineral 
resource development under this subtitle. 
CHAPTER 1—ONSHORE OIL AND GAS 
PERMIT STREAMLINING 
SEC. 21101. SHORT TITLE. 
This chapter may be cited as the ‘‘Streamlining Per-
mitting of American Energy Act of 2014’’. 
Subchapter A—Application for Permits to 
Drill Process Reform 
SEC. 21111. PERMIT TO DRILL APPLICATION TIMELINE. 
Section 17(p)(2) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 
U.S.C. 226(p)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS TO DRILL RE-
FORM AND PROCESS.— 
‘‘(A) TIMELINE.—The Secretary shall de-
cide whether to issue a permit to drill within 30 
days after receiving an application for the per-
mit. The Secretary may extend such period for 
up to 2 periods of 15 days each, if the Sec-
retary has given written notice of the delay to
the applicant. The notice shall be in the form 
of a letter from the Secretary or a designee of 
the Secretary, and shall include the names and 
titles of the persons processing the application, 
the specific reasons for the delay, and a specific 
date a final decision on the application is ex-
pected. 
‘‘(B) NOTICE OF REASONS FOR DENIAL.— 
If the application is denied, the Secretary shall 
provide the applicant— 
‘‘(i) in writing, clear and comprehen-
sive reasons why the application was not 
accepted and detailed information con-
cerning any deficiencies; and 
‘‘(ii) an opportunity to remedy any de-
ficiencies. 
‘‘(C) APPLICATION DEEMED APPROVED.— 
If the Secretary has not made a decision on the 
application by the end of the 60-day period be-
ginning on the date the application is received 
by the Secretary, the application is deemed ap-
proved, except in cases in which existing reviews 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) or Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 
are incomplete. 
‘‘(D) DENIAL
OF
PERMIT.—If the Sec-
retary decides not to issue a permit to drill in 
accordance with subparagraph (A), the Sec-
retary shall— 
‘‘(i) provide to the applicant a descrip-
tion of the reasons for the denial of the 
permit; 
‘‘(ii) allow the applicant to resubmit 
an application for a permit to drill during 
the 10-day period beginning on the date 
the applicant receives the description of 
the denial from the Secretary; and 
‘‘(iii) issue or deny any resubmitted 
application not later than 10 days after the 
date the application is submitted to the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(E) FEE.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 
any other law, the Secretary shall collect a 
single $6,500 permit processing fee per ap-
plication from each applicant at the time 
the final decision is made whether to issue 
a permit under subparagraph (A). This fee
shall not apply to any resubmitted applica-
tion. 
‘‘(ii) TREATMENT OF PERMIT PROC-
ESSING FEE.—Of all fees collected under 
this paragraph, 50 percent shall be trans-
ferred to the field office where they are col-
lected and used to process protests, leases, 
and permits under this Act subject to ap-
propriation.’’. 
Subchapter B—Administrative Protest 
Documentation Reform 
SEC. 21121. ADMINISTRATIVE PROTEST DOCUMENTATION 
REFORM. 
Section 17(p) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
226(p)) is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) PROTEST FEE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
collect a $5,000 documentation fee to accom-
pany each protest for a lease, right of way, or 
application for permit to drill. 
‘‘(B) TREATMENT OF FEES.—Of all fees 
collected under this paragraph, 50 percent shall 
remain in the field office where they are col-
lected and used to process protests subject to 
appropriation.’’. 
Subchapter C—Permit Streamlining 
SEC. 21131. MAKING PILOT OFFICES PERMANENT TO IM-
PROVE ENERGY PERMITTING ON FEDERAL 
LANDS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall estab-
lish a Federal Permit Streamlining Project (referred to 
in this section as the ‘‘Project’’) in every Bureau of Land 
Management field office with responsibility for permitting 
energy projects on Federal land. 
(b) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for 
purposes of this section with— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
(B) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; and 
(C) the Chief of the Army Corps of Engi-
neers. 
(2) STATE
PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary 
may request that the Governor of any State with en-
ergy projects on Federal lands to be a signatory to 
the memorandum of understanding. 
(c) DESIGNATION OF QUALIFIED STAFF.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the signing of the memorandum of un-
derstanding under subsection (b), all Federal signa-
tory parties shall, if appropriate, assign to each of 
the Bureau of Land Management field offices an 
employee who has expertise in the regulatory issues 
relating to the office in which the employee is em-
ployed, including, as applicable, particular expertise 
in— 
(A) the consultations and the preparation 
of biological opinions under section 7 of the En-
dangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1536); 
(B) permits under section 404 of Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344); 
(C) regulatory matters under the Clean Air 
Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); 
(D) planning under the National Forest 
Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a et 
seq.); and
(E) the preparation of analyses under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
(2) DUTIES.—Each employee assigned under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) not later than 90 days after the date 
of assignment, report to the Bureau of Land 
Management Field Managers in the office to 
which the employee is assigned; 
(B) be responsible for all issues relating to 
the energy projects that arise under the au-
thorities of the employee’s home agency; and 
(C) participate as part of the team of per-
sonnel working on proposed energy projects, 
planning, and environmental analyses on Fed-
eral lands. 
(d) ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.—The Secretary shall 
assign to each Bureau of Land Management field office 
identified in subsection (a) any additional personnel that 
are necessary to ensure the effective approval and imple-
mentation of energy projects administered by the Bureau 
of Land Management field offices, including inspection 
and enforcement relating to energy development on Fed-
eral land, in accordance with the multiple use mandate
of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). 
(e) FUNDING.—Funding for the additional personnel 
shall come from the Department of the Interior reforms 
identified in sections 21111 and 21121. 
(f) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Nothing in this section af-
fects— 
(1) the operation of any Federal or State law; 
or 
(2) any delegation of authority made by the 
head of a Federal agency whose employees are par-
ticipating in the Project. 
(g) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section the 
term ‘‘energy projects’’ includes oil, natural gas, and other 
energy projects as defined by the Secretary. 
SEC. 21132. ADMINISTRATION OF CURRENT LAW. 
Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall not require a finding of extraordinary cir-
cumstances in administering section 390 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15942). 
Subchapter D—Judicial Review 
SEC. 21141. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subchapter— 
(1) the term ‘‘covered civil action’’ means a civil 
action containing a claim under section 702 of title
5, United States Code, regarding agency action (as 
defined for the purposes of that section) affecting a 
covered energy project on Federal lands of the 
United States; and 
(2) the term ‘‘covered energy project’’ means 
the leasing of Federal lands of the United States for 
the exploration, development, production, processing, 
or transmission of oil, natural gas, or any other 
source of energy, and any action under such a lease, 
except that the term does not include any disputes 
between the parties to a lease regarding the obliga-
tions under such lease, including regarding any al-
leged breach of the lease. 
SEC. 21142. EXCLUSIVE VENUE FOR CERTAIN CIVIL AC-
TIONS 
RELATING 
TO 
COVERED 
ENERGY 
PROJECTS. 
Venue for any covered civil action shall lie in the dis-
trict court where the project or leases exist or are pro-
posed. 
SEC. 21143. TIMELY FILING. 
To ensure timely redress by the courts, a covered civil 
action must be filed no later than the end of the 90-day 
period beginning on the date of the final Federal agency 
action to which it relates.
SEC. 21144. EXPEDITION IN HEARING AND DETERMINING 
THE ACTION. 
The court shall endeavor to hear and determine any 
covered civil action as expeditiously as possible. 
SEC. 21145. STANDARD OF REVIEW. 
In any judicial review of a covered civil action, admin-
istrative findings and conclusions relating to the chal-
lenged Federal action or decision shall be presumed to be 
correct, and the presumption may be rebutted only by the 
preponderance of the evidence contained in the adminis-
trative record. 
SEC. 21146. LIMITATION ON INJUNCTION AND PROSPEC-
TIVE RELIEF. 
In a covered civil action, the court shall not grant 
or approve any prospective relief unless the court finds 
that such relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than 
necessary to correct the violation of a legal requirement, 
and is the least intrusive means necessary to correct that 
violation. In addition, courts shall limit the duration of 
preliminary injunctions to halt covered energy projects to 
no more than 60 days, unless the court finds clear reasons 
to extend the injunction. In such cases of extensions, such 
extensions shall only be in 30-day increments and shall 
require action by the court to renew the injunction.
SEC. 21147. LIMITATION ON ATTORNEYS’ FEES. 
Sections 504 of title 5, United States Code, and 2412 
of title 28, United States Code, (together commonly called 
the Equal Access to Justice Act) do not apply to a covered 
civil action, nor shall any party in such a covered civil ac-
tion receive payment from the Federal Government for 
their attorneys’ fees, expenses, and other court costs. 
SEC. 21148. LEGAL STANDING. 
Challengers filing appeals with the Department of the 
Interior Board of Land Appeals shall meet the same 
standing requirements as challengers before a United 
States district court. 
Subchapter E—Knowing America’s Oil and 
Gas Resources 
SEC. 21151. FUNDING OIL AND GAS RESOURCE ASSESS-
MENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 
provide matching funding for joint projects with States to 
conduct oil and gas resource assessments on Federal lands 
with significant oil and gas potential. 
(b) COST SHARING.—The Federal share of the cost 
of activities under this section shall not exceed 50 percent. 
(c) RESOURCE ASSESSMENT.—Any resource assess-
ment under this section shall be conducted by a State, in 
consultation with the United States Geological Survey.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section a total of $50,000,000 for fiscal years 
2015 through 2018. 
CHAPTER 2—OIL AND GAS LEASING 
CERTAINTY 
SEC. 21201. SHORT TITLE. 
This chapter may be cited as the ‘‘Providing Leasing 
Certainty for American Energy Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 21202. MINIMUM ACREAGE REQUIREMENT FOR ON-
SHORE LEASE SALES. 
In conducting lease sales as required by section 17(a) 
of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(a)), each year 
the Secretary of the Interior shall perform the following: 
(1) The Secretary shall offer for sale no less 
than 25 percent of the annual nominated acreage 
not previously made available for lease. Acreage of-
fered for lease pursuant to this paragraph shall not 
be subject to protest and shall be eligible for cat-
egorical exclusions under section 390 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15942), except that 
it shall not be subject to the test of extraordinary 
circumstances. 
(2) In administering this section, the Secretary 
shall only consider leasing of Federal lands that are
available for leasing at the time the lease sale oc-
curs. 
SEC. 21203. LEASING CERTAINTY. 
Section 17(a) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
226(a)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘All lands’’, 
and by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2)(A) The Secretary shall not withdraw any cov-
ered energy project issued under this Act without finding 
a violation of the terms of the lease by the lessee. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall not infringe upon lease 
rights under leases issued under this Act by indefinitely 
delaying issuance of project approvals, drilling and seismic 
permits, and rights of way for activities under such a 
lease. 
‘‘(C) No later than 18 months after an area is des-
ignated as open under the current land use plan the Sec-
retary shall make available nominated areas for lease 
under the criteria in section 2. 
‘‘(D) Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary 
shall issue all leases sold no later than 60 days after the 
last payment is made. 
‘‘(E) The Secretary shall not cancel or withdraw any 
lease parcel after a competitive lease sale has occurred and 
a winning bidder has submitted the last payment for the 
parcel.
‘‘(F) After the conclusion of the public comment pe-
riod for a planned competitive lease sale, the Secretary 
shall not cancel, defer, or withdraw any lease parcel an-
nounced to be auctioned in the lease sale. 
‘‘(G) Not later than 60 days after a lease sale held 
under this Act, the Secretary shall adjudicate any lease 
protests filed following a lease sale. If after 60 days any 
protest is left unsettled, said protest is automatically de-
nied and appeal rights of the protestor begin. 
‘‘(H) No additional lease stipulations may be added 
after the parcel is sold without consultation and agree-
ment of the lessee, unless the Secretary deems such stipu-
lations as emergency actions to conserve the resources of 
the United States.’’. 
SEC. 21204. LEASING CONSISTENCY. 
Federal land managers must follow existing resource 
management plans and continue to actively lease in areas 
designated as open when resource management plans are 
being amended or revised, until such time as a new record 
of decision is signed. 
SEC. 21205. REDUCE REDUNDANT POLICIES. 
Bureau of Land Management Instruction Memo-
randum 2010–117 shall have no force or effect.
SEC. 21206. STREAMLINED CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICA-
TION. 
Section 31(e) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
188(e)) is amended in the matter following paragraph (4) 
by striking ‘‘at least thirty days in advance of the rein-
statement’’ and inserting ‘‘in an annual report’’. 
CHAPTER 3—OIL SHALE 
SEC. 21301. SHORT TITLE. 
This chapter may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Invest-
ment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, 
Energy, and Resource Security Act’’ or the ‘‘PIONEERS 
Act’’. 
SEC. 21302. EFFECTIVENESS OF OIL SHALE REGULATIONS, 
AMENDMENTS TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 
PLANS, AND RECORD OF DECISION. 
(a) REGULATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other law 
or regulation to the contrary, the final regulations regard-
ing oil shale management published by the Bureau of 
Land Management on November 18, 2008 (73 Fed. Reg. 
69,414) are deemed to satisfy all legal and procedural re-
quirements under any law, including the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 
seq.), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), and the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the Secretary of 
the Interior shall implement those regulations, including
the oil shale leasing program authorized by the regula-
tions, without any other administrative action necessary. 
(b) AMENDMENTS
TO
RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT 
PLANS
AND RECORD
OF DECISION.—Notwithstanding 
any other law or regulation to the contrary, the November 
17, 2008 U.S. Bureau of Land Management Approved Re-
source Management Plan Amendments/Record of Decision 
for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources to Address Land 
Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and 
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement are 
deemed to satisfy all legal and procedural requirements 
under any law, including the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), 
and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the Secretary of the Interior 
shall implement the oil shale leasing program authorized 
by the regulations referred to in subsection (a) in those 
areas covered by the resource management plans amended 
by such amendments, and covered by such record of deci-
sion, without any other administrative action necessary. 
SEC. 21303. OIL SHALE LEASING. 
(a) ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT 
LEASE SALES.—The Secretary of the Interior shall hold 
a lease sale within 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act offering an additional 10 parcels for lease for 
research, development, and demonstration of oil shale re-
sources, under the terms offered in the solicitation of bids 
for such leases published on January 15, 2009 (74 Fed. 
Reg. 10). 
(b) COMMERCIAL LEASE SALES.—No later than Jan-
uary 1, 2016, the Secretary of the Interior shall hold no 
less than 5 separate commercial lease sales in areas con-
sidered to have the most potential for oil shale develop-
ment, as determined by the Secretary, in areas nominated 
through public comment. Each lease sale shall be for an 
area of not less than 25,000 acres, and in multiple lease 
blocs. 
CHAPTER 4—MISCELLANEOUS 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 21401. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to author-
ize the issuance of a lease under the Mineral Leasing Act 
(30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) to any person designated for the 
imposition of sanctions pursuant to— 
(1) the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (50 U.S.C. 
1701 note), the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Ac-
countability and Divestiture Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 
8501 et seq.), the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria 
Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8701 et
seq.), section 1245 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a), 
or the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act 
of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8801 et seq.); 
(2) Executive Order No. 13622 (July 30, 
2012), Executive Order No. 13628 (October 9, 
2012), or Executive Order No. 13645 (June 3, 
2013); 
(3) Executive Order No. 13224 (September 23, 
2001) or Executive Order No. 13338 (May 11, 
2004); or 
(4) the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sov-
ereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 2151 
note). 
Subtitle B—Planning for American 
Energy 
SEC. 22001. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Planning for Amer-
ican Energy Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 22002. ONSHORE DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION 
STRATEGIC PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Mineral Leasing Act (30 
U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by redesignating section 
44 as section 45, and by inserting after section 43 the 
following:
‘‘SEC. 44. QUADRENNIAL STRATEGIC FEDERAL ONSHORE 
ENERGY PRODUCTION STRATEGY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in 
this section referred to as ‘Secretary’), in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Agriculture with regard to 
lands administered by the Forest Service, shall de-
velop and publish every 4 years a Quadrennial Fed-
eral Onshore Energy Production Strategy. This 
Strategy shall direct Federal land energy develop-
ment and department resource allocation in order to 
promote the energy and national security of the 
United States in accordance with Bureau of Land 
Management’s mission of promoting the multiple use 
of Federal lands as set forth in the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
1701 et seq.). 
‘‘(2) In developing this Strategy, the Secretary 
shall consult with the Administrator of the Energy 
Information Administration on the projected energy 
demands of the United States for the next 30-year 
period, and how energy derived from Federal on-
shore lands can put the United States on a trajec-
tory to meet that demand during the next 4-year pe-
riod. The Secretary shall consider how Federal lands 
will contribute to ensuring national energy security,
with a goal for increasing energy independence and 
production, during the next 4-year period. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall determine a domestic 
strategic production objective for the development of 
energy resources from Federal onshore lands. Such 
objective shall be— 
‘‘(A) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in domestic production of oil and natural 
gas from the Federal onshore mineral estate, 
with a focus on lands held by the Bureau of 
Land Management and the Forest Service; 
‘‘(B) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in domestic coal production from Federal 
lands; 
‘‘(C) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in domestic production of strategic and 
critical energy minerals from the Federal on-
shore mineral estate; 
‘‘(D) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in megawatts for electricity production 
from each of the following sources: wind, solar,
biomass, hydropower, and geothermal energy 
produced on Federal lands administered by the 
Bureau of Land Management and the Forest 
Service; 
‘‘(E) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in unconventional energy production, 
such as oil shale; 
‘‘(F) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in domestic production of oil, natural 
gas, coal, and other renewable sources from 
tribal lands for any federally recognized Indian 
tribe that elects to participate in facilitating en-
ergy production on its lands; 
‘‘(G) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in production of helium on Federal lands 
administered by the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment and the Forest Service; and 
‘‘(H) the best estimate, based upon com-
mercial and scientific data, of the expected in-
crease in domestic production of geothermal, 
solar, wind, or other renewable energy sources 
from ‘available lands’ (as such term is defined
under this section. The Secretary shall work in coopera-
tion with any federally recognized Indian tribe that elects 
to participate in achieving its own strategic energy objec-
tives designated under this subsection. 
‘‘(c) EXECUTION OF THE STRATEGY.—The relevant 
Secretary shall have all necessary authority to make deter-
minations regarding which additional lands will be made 
available in order to meet the production objectives estab-
lished by strategies under this section. The Secretary shall 
also take all necessary actions to achieve these production 
objectives unless the President determines that it is not 
in the national security and economic interests of the 
United States to increase Federal domestic energy produc-
tion and to further decrease dependence upon foreign 
sources of energy. In administering this section, the rel-
evant Secretary shall only consider leasing Federal lands 
available for leasing at the time the lease sale occurs. 
‘‘(d) STATE, FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED
INDIAN 
TRIBES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND PUBLIC INPUT.—In 
developing each strategy, the Secretary shall solicit the 
input of affected States, federally recognized Indian tribes, 
local governments, and the public. 
‘‘(e) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall report annu-
ally to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate on the progress of meet-
ing the production goals set forth in the strategy. The Sec-
retary shall identify in the report projections for produc-
tion and capacity installations and any problems with leas-
ing, permitting, siting, or production that will prevent 
meeting the goal. In addition, the Secretary shall make 
suggestions to help meet any shortfalls in meeting the pro-
duction goals. 
‘‘(f) 
PROGRAMMATIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT 
STATEMENT.—Not later than 12 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, in accordance with section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the Secretary shall com-
plete a programmatic environmental impact statement. 
This programmatic environmental impact statement will 
be deemed sufficient to comply with all requirements 
under that Act for all necessary resource management and 
land use plans associated with the implementation of the 
strategy. 
‘‘(g) CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW.—At least 60 days 
prior to publishing a proposed strategy under this section, 
the Secretary shall submit it to the President and the Con-
gress, together with any comments received from States, 
federally recognized Indian tribes, and local governments. 
Such submission shall indicate why any specific rec-
ommendation of a State, federally recognized Indian tribe, 
or local government was not accepted. 
‘‘(h) STRATEGIC AND CRITICAL ENERGY MINERALS 
DEFINED.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘stra-
tegic and critical energy minerals’ means those that are 
necessary for the Nation’s energy infrastructure including 
pipelines, refining capacity, electrical power generation 
and transmission, and renewable energy production and 
those that are necessary to support domestic manufac-
turing, including but not limited to, materials used in en-
ergy generation, production, and transportation.’’. 
(b) FIRST QUADRENNIAL STRATEGY.—Not later 
than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress the 
first Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production 
Strategy under the amendment made by subsection (a). 
Subtitle C—National Petroleum 
Reserve in Alaska Access 
SEC. 23001. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘National Petro-
leum Reserve Alaska Access Act’’. 
SEC. 23002. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND REAFFIRMING NA-
TIONAL POLICY FOR THE NATIONAL PETRO-
LEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA. 
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska 
remains explicitly designated, both in name and legal 
status, for purposes of providing oil and natural gas 
resources to the United States; and 
(2) accordingly, the national policy is to actively 
advance oil and gas development within the Reserve 
by facilitating the expeditious exploration, produc-
tion, and transportation of oil and natural gas from 
and through the Reserve. 
SEC. 23003. NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA: 
LEASE SALES. 
Section 107(a) of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Pro-
duction Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6506a(a)) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct an 
expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas 
in the reserve in accordance with this Act. Such program 
shall include at least one lease sale annually in those areas 
of the reserve most likely to produce commercial quantities 
of oil and natural gas each year in the period 2014 
through 2024.’’.
SEC. 23004. NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA: 
PLANNING AND PERMITTING PIPELINE AND 
ROAD CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation 
with other appropriate Federal agencies, shall facilitate 
and ensure permits, in a timely and environmentally re-
sponsible manner, for all surface development activities, 
including for the construction of pipelines and roads, nec-
essary to— 
(1) develop and bring into production any areas 
within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska 
that are subject to oil and gas leases; and 
(2) transport oil and gas from and through the 
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska in the most 
direct manner possible to existing transportation or 
processing infrastructure on the North Slope of 
Alaska. 
(b) TIMELINE.—The Secretary shall ensure that any 
Federal permitting agency shall issue permits in accord-
ance with the following timeline: 
(1) Permits for such construction for transpor-
tation of oil and natural gas produced under existing 
Federal oil and gas leases with respect to which the 
Secretary has issued a permit to drill shall be ap-
proved within 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(2) Permits for such construction for transpor-
tation of oil and natural gas produced under Federal 
oil and gas leases shall be approved within 6 months 
after the submission to the Secretary of a request 
for a permit to drill. 
(c) PLAN.—To ensure timely future development of 
the Reserve, within 270 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit 
to Congress a plan for approved rights-of-way for a plan 
for pipeline, road, and any other surface infrastructure 
that may be necessary infrastructure that will ensure that 
all leasable tracts in the Reserve are within 25 miles of 
an approved road and pipeline right-of-way that can serve 
future development of the Reserve. 
SEC. 23005. ISSUANCE OF A NEW INTEGRATED ACTIVITY 
PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATE-
MENT. 
(a) ISSUANCE
OF
NEW
INTEGRATED
ACTIVITY 
PLAN.—The Secretary of the Interior shall, within 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, issue— 
(1) a new proposed integrated activity plan 
from among the non-adopted alternatives in the Na-
tional Petroleum Reserve Alaska Integrated Activity
Plan Record of Decision issued by the Secretary of 
the Interior and dated February 21, 2013; and 
(2) an environmental impact statement under 
section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) for 
issuance of oil and gas leases in the National Petro-
leum Reserve-Alaska to promote efficient and max-
imum development of oil and natural gas resources 
of such reserve. 
(b) NULLIFICATION OF EXISTING RECORD OF DECI-
SION, IAP, AND EIS.—Except as provided in subsection 
(a), the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Integrated 
Activity Plan Record of Decision issued by the Secretary 
of the Interior and dated February 21, 2013, including 
the integrated activity plan and environmental impact 
statement referred to in that record of decision, shall have 
no force or effect. 
SEC. 23006. DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DEVEL-
OPMENT. 
The Secretary of the Interior shall issue regulations 
not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act that establish clear requirements to ensure that 
the Department of the Interior is supporting development 
of oil and gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve- 
Alaska.
SEC. 23007. DEADLINES UNDER NEW PROPOSED INTE-
GRATED ACTIVITY PLAN. 
At a minimum, the new proposed integrated activity 
plan issued under section 23005(a)(1) shall— 
(1) require the Department of the Interior to 
respond within 5 business days to a person who sub-
mits an application for a permit for development of 
oil and natural gas leases in the National Petroleum 
Reserve-Alaska acknowledging receipt of such appli-
cation; and 
(2) establish a timeline for the processing of 
each such application, that— 
(A) specifies deadlines for decisions and 
actions on permit applications; and 
(B) provide that the period for issuing 
each permit after submission of such an appli-
cation shall not exceed 60 days without the con-
currence of the applicant. 
SEC. 23008. UPDATED RESOURCE ASSESSMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 
complete a comprehensive assessment of all technically re-
coverable fossil fuel resources within the National Petro-
leum Reserve in Alaska, including all conventional and un-
conventional oil and natural gas. 
(b) COOPERATION
AND CONSULTATION.—The re-
source assessment required by subsection (a) shall be car-
ried out by the United States Geological Survey in co-
operation and consultation with the State of Alaska and 
the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. 
(c) TIMING.—The resource assessment required by 
subsection (a) shall be completed within 24 months of the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) FUNDING.—The United States Geological Survey 
may, in carrying out the duties under this section, coop-
eratively use resources and funds provided by the State 
of Alaska. 
Subtitle D—BLM Live Internet 
Auctions 
SEC. 24001. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘BLM Live Internet 
Auctions Act’’. 
SEC. 24002. INTERNET-BASED ONSHORE OIL AND GAS 
LEASE SALES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Section 17(b)(1) of the Min-
eral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), in the third sentence, 
by inserting ‘‘, except as provided in subparagraph 
(C)’’ after ‘‘by oral bidding’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) In order to diversify and expand the Nation’s 
onshore leasing program to ensure the best return to the
Federal taxpayer, reduce fraud, and secure the leasing 
process, the Secretary may conduct onshore lease sales 
through Internet-based bidding methods. Each individual 
Internet-based lease sale shall conclude within 7 days.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the tenth 
Internet-based lease sale conducted under the amendment 
made by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall 
analyze the first 10 such lease sales and report to Con-
gress the findings of the analysis. The report shall in-
clude— 
(1) estimates on increases or decreases in such 
lease sales, compared to sales conducted by oral bid-
ding, in— 
(A) the number of bidders; 
(B) the average amount of bid; 
(C) the highest amount bid; and 
(D) the lowest bid; 
(2) an estimate on the total cost or savings to 
the Department of the Interior as a result of such 
sales, compared to sales conducted by oral bidding; 
and 
(3) an evaluation of the demonstrated or ex-
pected effectiveness of different structures for lease 
sales which may provide an opportunity to better 
maximize bidder participation, ensure the highest re-
turn to the Federal taxpayers, minimize opportuni-
ties for fraud or collusion, and ensure the security 
and integrity of the leasing process. 
TITLE III—MISCELLANEOUS 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 30101. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF ENERGY EM-
PLOYMENT AND TRAINING. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior 
shall establish an Office of Energy Employment and 
Training, which shall oversee the hiring and training ef-
forts of the Department of the Interior’s energy planning, 
permitting, and regulatory agencies. 
(b) DIRECTOR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Office shall be under 
the direction of a Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Energy Employment and Training, who shall report 
directly to the Assistant Secretary for Energy, 
Lands and Minerals Management, and shall be fully 
employed to carry out the functions of the Office. 
(2) DUTIES.—The Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for Energy Employment and Training shall perform 
the following functions: 
(A) Develop and implement systems to 
track the Department’s hiring of trained skilled
workers in the energy permitting and inspection 
agencies. 
(B) Design and recommend to the Sec-
retary programs and policies aimed at expand-
ing the Department’s hiring of women, minori-
ties, and veterans into the Department’s work-
force dealing with energy permitting and in-
spection programs. Such programs and policies 
shall include— 
(i) recruiting at historically black col-
leges and universities, Hispanic-serving in-
stitutions, women’s colleges, and colleges 
that typically serve majority minority pop-
ulations; 
(ii) sponsoring and recruiting at job 
fairs in urban communities; 
(iii) placing employment advertise-
ments in newspapers and magazines ori-
ented toward minorities, veterans, and 
women; 
(iv) partnering with organizations that 
are focused on developing opportunities for 
minorities, veterans, and women to be 
placed in Departmental internships, sum-
mer employment, and full-time positions 
relating to energy; 
(v) where feasible, partnering with 
inner-city high schools, girls’ high schools, 
and high schools with majority minority 
populations to demonstrate career opportu-
nities and the path to those opportunities 
available at the Department; 
(vi) coordinating with the Department 
of Veterans Affairs and the Department of 
Defense in the hiring of veterans; and 
(vii) any other mass media commu-
nications that the Deputy Assistant Sec-
retary determines necessary to advertise, 
promote, or educate about opportunities at 
the Department. 
(C) Develop standards for— 
(i) equal employment opportunity and 
the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of 
the workforce and senior management of 
the Department; and 
(ii) increased participation of minor-
ity-owned, veteran-owned, and women- 
owned businesses in the programs and con-
tracts with the Department.
(D) Review and propose for adoption the 
best practices of entities regulated by the De-
partment with regards to hiring and diversity 
policies, and publish those best practices for 
public review. 
(c) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall submit to Con-
gress an annual report regarding the actions taken by the 
Department of the Interior agency and the Office pursu-
ant to this section, which shall include— 
(1) a statement of the total amounts paid by 
the Department to minority contractors; 
(2) the successes achieved and challenges faced 
by the Department in operating minority, veteran or 
service-disabled veteran, and women outreach pro-
grams; 
(3) the challenges the Department may face in 
hiring minority, veteran, and women employees and 
contracting with veteran or service-disabled veteran, 
minority-owned, and women-owned businesses; and 
(4) any other information, findings, conclusions, 
and recommendations for legislative or Department 
action, as the Director determines appropriate. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 
following definitions shall apply:
(1) MINORITY.—The term ‘‘minority’’ means 
United States citizens who are Asian Indian Amer-
ican, Asian Pacific American, Black American, His-
panic American, or Native American. 
(2) MINORITY-OWNED
BUSINESS.—The term 
‘‘minority-owned business’’ means a for-profit enter-
prise, regardless of size, physically located in the 
United States or its trust territories, that is owned, 
operated, and controlled by minority group members. 
‘‘Minority group members’’ are United States citi-
zens who are Asian Indian American, Asian Pacific 
American, Black American, Hispanic American, or 
Native American (terminology in NMSDC cat-
egories). Ownership by minority individuals means 
the business is at least 51 percent owned by such in-
dividuals or, in the case of a publicly owned busi-
ness, at least 51 percent of the stock is owned by 
one or more such individuals. Further, the manage-
ment and daily operations are controlled by those 
minority group members. For purposes of NMSDC’s 
program, a minority group member is an individual 
who is a United States citizen with at least 1⁄4 or 
25 percent minimum (documentation to support 
claim of 25 percent required from applicant) of one 
or more of the following:
(A) Asian Indian American, which is a 
United States citizen whose origins are from 
India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh. 
(B) Asian Pacific American, which is a 
United States citizen whose origins are from 
Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, 
Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Phil-
ippines, Thailand, Samoa, Guam, the United 
States Trust Territories of the Pacific, or the 
Northern Marianas. 
(C) Black American, which is a United 
States citizen having origins in any of the Black 
racial groups of Africa. 
(D) Hispanic American, which is a United 
States citizen of true-born Hispanic heritage, 
from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of the 
following regions: Mexico, Central America, 
South America, and the Caribbean Basin only. 
(E) Native American, which means a 
United States citizen enrolled to a federally rec-
ognized tribe, or a Native as defined under the 
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. 
(3) NMSDC.—The term ‘‘NMSDC’’ means the 
National Minority Supplier Development Council.
100 
(4) 
WOMEN-OWNED
BUSINESS.—The 
term 
‘‘women-owned business’’ means a business that can 
verify through evidence documentation that 51 per-
cent or more is women-owned, managed, and con-
trolled. The business must be open for at least 6 
months. The business owner must be a United 
States citizen or legal resident alien. Evidence must 
indicate that— 
(A) the contribution of capital or expertise 
by the woman business owner is real and sub-
stantial and in proportion to the interest owned; 
(B) the woman business owner directs or 
causes the direction of management, policy, fis-
cal, and operational matters; and 
(C) the woman business owner has the 
ability to perform in the area of specialty or ex-
pertise without reliance on either the finances 
or resources of a firm that is not owned by a 
woman. 
(5) SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN.—The term 
‘‘Service Disabled Veteran’’ must have a service-con-
nected disability that has been determined by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of 
Defense. The SDVOSBC must be small under the 
North American Industry Classification System
101 
(NAICS) code assigned to the procurement; the 
SDV must unconditionally own 51 percent of the 
SDVOSBC; the SDVO must control the manage-
ment and daily operations of the SDVOSBC; and 
the SDV must hold the highest officer position in 
the SDVOSBC. 
(6) VETERAN-OWNED
BUSINESS.—The term 
‘‘veteran-owned business’’ means a business that can 
verify through evidence documentation that 51 per-
cent or more is veteran-owned, managed, and con-
trolled. The business must be open for at least 6 
months. The business owner must be a United 
States citizen or legal resident alien and honorably 
or service-connected disability discharged from serv-
ice. 
Passed the House of Representatives June 26, 2014. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4899 
AN ACT 
To lower gasoline prices for the American family by 
increasing domestic onshore and offshore energy 
exploration and production, to streamline and im-
prove onshore and offshore energy permitting 
and administration, and for other purposes.