I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1548 
To facilitate the development of energy on Indian lands by reducing Federal 
regulations that impede tribal development of Indian lands, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 12, 2013 
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To facilitate the development of energy on Indian lands by 
reducing Federal regulations that impede tribal develop-
ment of Indian lands, 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 ‘‘Native American En-
ergy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. Appraisals. 
Sec. 4. Standardization. 
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Sec. 5. Environmental reviews of major Federal actions on Indian lands. 
Sec. 6. BLM oil and gas fees. 
Sec. 7. Bonding requirements and nonpayment of attorneys’ fees to promote In-
dian energy projects. 
Sec. 8. Tribal biomass demonstration project. 
Sec. 9. Tribal resource management plans. 
Sec. 10. Leases of restricted lands for the Navajo Nation. 
Sec. 11. Nonapplicability of certain rules. 
SEC. 3. APPRAISALS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Title XXVI of the Energy Policy 
Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 2607. APPRAISAL REFORMS. 
‘‘(a) OPTIONS TO INDIAN TRIBES.—With respect to 
a transaction involving Indian land or the trust assets of 
an Indian tribe that requires the approval of the Sec-
retary, any appraisal relating to fair market value required 
to be conducted under applicable law, regulation, or policy 
may be completed by— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary; 
‘‘(2) the affected Indian tribe; or 
‘‘(3) a certified, third-party appraiser pursuant 
to a contract with the Indian tribe. 
‘‘(b) TIME LIMIT ON SECRETARIAL REVIEW AND AC-
TION.—Not later than 30 days after the date on which 
the Secretary receives an appraisal conducted by or for 
an Indian tribe pursuant to paragraphs (2) or (3) of sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) review the appraisal; and 
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‘‘(2) provide to the Indian tribe a written notice 
of approval or disapproval of the appraisal. 
‘‘(c) FAILURE OF SECRETARY TO APPROVE OR DIS-
APPROVE.—If, after 60 days, the Secretary has failed to 
approve or disapprove any appraisal received, the ap-
praisal shall be deemed approved. 
‘‘(d) OPTION
TO INDIAN TRIBES TO WAIVE AP-
PRAISAL.— 
‘‘(1) An Indian tribe wishing to waive the re-
quirements of subsection (a), may do so after it has 
satisfied the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) 
below. 
‘‘(2) An Indian tribe wishing to forego the ne-
cessity of a waiver pursuant to this section must 
provide to the Secretary a written resolution, state-
ment, or other unambiguous indication of tribal in-
tent, duly approved by the governing body of the In-
dian tribe. 
‘‘(3) The unambiguous indication of intent pro-
vided by the Indian tribe to the Secretary under 
paragraph (2) must include an express waiver by the 
Indian tribe of any claims for damages it might have 
against the United States as a result of the lack of 
an appraisal undertaken. 
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‘‘(e) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this subsection, 
the term ‘appraisal’ includes appraisals and other esti-
mates of value. 
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall develop 
regulations for implementing this section, including stand-
ards the Secretary shall use for approving or disapproving 
an appraisal.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 13201 
note) is amended by adding at the end of the items relat-
ing to title XXVI the following: 
‘‘Sec. 2607. Appraisal reforms.’’. 
SEC. 4. STANDARDIZATION. 
As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall implement 
procedures to ensure that each agency within the Depart-
ment of the Interior that is involved in the review, ap-
proval, and oversight of oil and gas activities on Indian 
lands shall use a uniform system of reference numbers and 
tracking systems for oil and gas wells. 
SEC. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS OF MAJOR FEDERAL 
ACTIONS ON INDIAN LANDS. 
Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) is amended by inserting 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before the first sentence, and by 
adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(b) REVIEW OF MAJOR FEDERAL ACTIONS ON IN-
DIAN LANDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For any major Federal ac-
tion on Indian lands of an Indian tribe requiring the 
preparation 
of 
a 
statement 
under 
subsection 
(a)(2)(C), the statement shall only be available for 
review and comment by the members of the Indian 
tribe and by any other individual residing within the 
affected area. 
‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—The Chairman of the 
Council on Environmental Quality shall develop reg-
ulations to implement this section, including descrip-
tions of affected areas for specific major Federal ac-
tions, in consultation with Indian tribes. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, each of 
the terms ‘Indian land’ and ‘Indian tribe’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 2601 of the En-
ergy Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3501). 
‘‘(4) CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY.—Nothing 
in the Native American Energy Act, except section 
7 of that Act, shall give the Secretary any additional 
authority over energy projects on Alaska Native 
Claims Settlement Act lands.’’. 
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