H. R. 6—136
the most geologically prospective lands within each of the States 
of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. 
(2) FINAL
REGULATION.—Not later than 6 months after 
the completion of the programmatic environmental impact 
statement under this subsection, the Secretary shall publish 
a final regulation establishing such program. 
(e) COMMENCEMENT OF COMMERCIAL LEASING OF OIL SHALE 
AND TAR SANDS.—Not later than 180 days after publication of 
the final regulation required by subsection (d), the Secretary shall 
consult with the Governors of States with significant oil shale 
and tar sands resources on public lands, representatives of local 
governments in such States, interested Indian tribes, and other 
interested persons, to determine the level of support and interest 
in the States in the development of tar sands and oil shale resources. 
If the Secretary finds sufficient support and interest exists in a 
State, the Secretary may conduct a lease sale in that State under 
the commercial leasing program regulations. Evidence of interest 
in a lease sale under this subsection shall include, but not be 
limited to, appropriate areas nominated for leasing by potential 
lessees and other interested parties. 
(f) DILIGENT DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary 
shall, by regulation, designate work requirements and milestones 
to ensure the diligent development of the lease. 
(g) INITIAL REPORT
BY
THE SECRETARY
OF
THE INTERIOR.—
Within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Interior shall report to the Committee on Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources of the Senate on— 
(1) the interim actions necessary to— 
(A) develop the program, complete the programmatic 
environmental impact statement, and promulgate the final 
regulation as required by subsection (d); and 
(B) conduct the first lease sales under the program 
as required by subsection (e); and 
(2) a schedule to complete such actions within the time 
limits mandated by this section. 
(h) TASK FORCE.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Energy, in coopera-
tion with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 
Defense, shall establish a task force to develop a program 
to coordinate and accelerate the commercial development of 
strategic unconventional fuels, including but not limited to 
oil shale and tar sands resources within the United States, 
in an integrated manner. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—The Task Force shall be composed of— 
(A) the Secretary of Energy (or the designee of the 
Secretary); 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior (or the designee of 
the Secretary of the Interior); 
(C) the Secretary of Defense (or the designee of the 
Secretary of Defense); 
(D) the Governors of affected States; and 
(E) representatives of local governments in affected 
areas. 
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Task Force shall make such 
recommendations regarding promoting the development of the
H. R. 6—137
strategic unconventional fuels resources within the United 
States as it may deem appropriate. 
(4) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Task Force shall make rec-
ommendations with respect to initiating a partnership with 
the Province of Alberta, Canada, for purposes of sharing 
information relating to the development and production of oil 
from tar sands, and similar partnerships with other nations 
that contain significant oil shale resources. 
(5) REPORTS.— 
(A) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall 
submit to the President and Congress a report that 
describes the analysis and recommendations of the Task 
Force. 
(B) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide an annual report describing the progress in developing 
the strategic unconventional fuels resources within the 
United States for each of the 5 years following submission 
of the report provided for in subparagraph (A). 
(i) OFFICE OF PETROLEUM RESERVES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Office of Petroleum Reserves of the 
Department of Energy shall— 
(A) coordinate the creation and implementation of a 
commercial strategic fuel development program for the 
United States; 
(B) evaluate the strategic importance of unconventional 
sources of strategic fuels to the security of the United 
States; 
(C) promote and coordinate Federal Government 
actions that facilitate the development of strategic fuels 
in order to effectively address the energy supply needs 
of the United States; 
(D) identify, assess, and recommend appropriate 
actions of the Federal Government required to assist in 
the development and manufacturing of strategic fuels; and 
(E) coordinate and facilitate appropriate relationships 
between private industry and the Federal Government to 
promote sufficient and timely private investment to 
commercialize strategic fuels for domestic and military use. 
(2) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—The Office of Petro-
leum Reserves shall work closely with the Task Force and 
coordinate its staff support. 
(3) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes 
the activities of the Office of Petroleum Reserves carried out 
under this subsection. 
(j) MINERAL LEASING ACT AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SECTION 17.—Section 17(b)(2) of the Mineral Leasing 
Act (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(2)), as amended by section 350, is further 
amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) (as designated by the amend-
ment made by subsection (a)(1) of that section) by desig-
nating the first, second, and third sentences as clauses 
(i), (ii), and (iii), respectively; 
(B) by moving clause (ii), as so designated, so as to 
begin immediately after and below clause (i);
H. R. 6—138
(C) by moving clause (iii), as so designated, so as 
to begin immediately after and below clause (ii); 
(D) in clause (i) of subparagraph (A) (as designated 
by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph) by striking ‘‘five 
thousand one hundred and twenty’’ and inserting ‘‘5,760’’; 
and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iv) No lease issued under this paragraph shall be included 
in any chargeability limitation associated with oil and gas 
leases.’’. 
(2) SECTION 21.—Section 21(a) of the Mineral Leasing Act 
(30 U.S.C. 241(a)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(a) That the Secretary’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(a)(1) The Secretary’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘; that no lease’’ and inserting a period, 
followed by the following: 
‘‘(2) No lease’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘Leases may be for’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(3) Leases may be for’’; 
(D) by striking ‘‘For the privilege’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(4) For the privilege’’; 
(E) in paragraph (2) (as designated by subparagraph 
(B) of this paragraph) by striking ‘‘five thousand one hun-
dred and twenty’’ and inserting ‘‘5,760’’; 
(F) in paragraph (4) (as designated by subparagraph 
(D) of this paragraph) by striking ‘‘rate of 50 cents per 
acre’’ and inserting ‘‘rate of $2.00 per acre’’; 
(G)(i) by striking ‘‘: Provided further, That not more 
than one lease shall be granted under this section to any’’ 
and inserting ‘‘: Provided further, That no’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘except that with respect to leases for’’ 
and inserting ‘‘shall acquire or hold more than 50,000 acres 
of oil shale leases in any one State. For’’; and 
(H) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) No lease issued under this section shall be included 
in any chargeability limitation associated with oil and gas 
leases.’’. 
(k) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AND EXPEDITIOUS REVIEW OF 
PERMITTING PROCESS.— 
(1) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AS LEAD AGENCY.—Upon 
written request of a prospective applicant for Federal authoriza-
tion to develop a proposed oil shale or tar sands project, the 
Department of the Interior shall act as the lead Federal agency 
for the purposes of coordinating all applicable Federal 
authorizations and environmental reviews. To the maximum 
extent practicable under applicable Federal law, the Secretary 
shall coordinate this Federal authorization and review process 
with any Indian tribes and State and local agencies responsible 
for conducting any separate permitting and environmental 
reviews. 
(2) IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
issue any regulations necessary to implement this subsection. 
(l) COST-SHARED DEMONSTRATION TECHNOLOGIES.—