I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4301 
To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to make certain adjustments to the 
regulation of surface-disturbing activities and to protect taxpayers from 
unduly bearing the reclamation costs of oil and gas development, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 22, 2023 
Ms. PORTER (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. HUFFMAN, and 
Mr. LEVIN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to make certain adjust-
ments to the regulation of surface-disturbing activities 
and to protect taxpayers from unduly bearing the rec-
lamation costs of oil and gas development, 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 referred to as the ‘‘Bonding Reform 
and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. SURFACE DISTURBANCE AND RECLAMATION. 
Section 17(g) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
226(g)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(g) BONDING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) INTERIM RECLAMATION PLAN.—The 
term ‘Interim Reclamation Plan’ means an on-
going plan specifying reclamation steps to be 
taken on all disturbed areas covered by any 
lease issued under this Act that are not needed 
for active operations. 
‘‘(B) FINAL
RECLAMATION
PLAN.—The 
term ‘Final Reclamation Plan’ means a plan 
describing all reclamation activity to be con-
ducted for all disturbed areas, including loca-
tions, facilities, trenches, rights-of-way, roads, 
and any other surface disturbance covered by a 
lease issued under this Act prior to final aban-
donment. 
‘‘(C) OPERATOR.—The term ‘operator’ 
means, with respect to an oil or gas operation, 
any entity, including the lessee or operating 
rights owner, that has stated in writing to a rel-
evant authority that such entity is responsible 
for any portion of such operation. 
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‘‘(D) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term 
‘Secretary concerned’ means— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary of the Interior for 
public lands administered by such Sec-
retary; and 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary of Agriculture for 
forest service lands. 
‘‘(2) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned 
shall regulate all surface-disturbing activities con-
ducted pursuant to any lease issued under this Act, 
and shall determine reclamation and other actions as 
required in the interest of conservation of surface re-
sources. 
‘‘(3) RECLAMATION PLANS REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) 
ANALYSIS
AND
APPROVAL
RE-
QUIRED.—No permit to drill on an oil and gas 
lease issued under this Act may be granted 
without the analysis and approval by the Sec-
retary concerned of both an interim reclamation 
plan and a final reclamation plan covering pro-
posed surface-disturbing activities within the 
lease area. 
‘‘(B) PLANS OF OPERATIONS.—All Federal 
plans or permits submitted pursuant to this Act 
with the potential to create surface disturbance 
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