American Energy Security and Transparency Act
Bill: H.R.6927 | Sponsor: Rep. Herrell, Yvette (R-NM)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
American Energy Security and Transparency Act
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to immediately resume sales of oil and gas leases in accordance with applicable onshore mineral leasing laws. The bill further specifies that Interior must conduct a minimum number of sales and offer all parcels eligible for oil and gas development in each state where there is land available for oil and gas leasing.
Additionally, Interior must report to Congress, and publish certain information on its website, concerning sales of oil and gas leases and related drilling permits.

To immediately resume onshore oil and gas lease sales, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``American Energy Security and 
Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. ONSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASING.

    (a) Requirement To Immediately Resume Onshore Oil and Gas Lease 
Sales.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
        immediately resume oil and gas lease sales in accordance with 
        the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Mineral 
        Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), and any 
        other applicable onshore mineral leasing laws.
            (2) Requirement.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
        ensure that any oil and gas lease sale made pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) is conducted immediately on completion of all 
        applicable scoping, public comment, and environmental analysis 
        requirements under the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et 
        seq.) and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
        U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    (b) Annual Lease Sales.--
            (1) In general.--In accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act 
        (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired 
        Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), and any other applicable onshore 
        mineral leasing laws, beginning in fiscal year 2022, the 
        Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a minimum of four oil 
        and gas lease sales annually in each of the following States:
                    (A) Wyoming.
                    (B) New Mexico.
                    (C) Colorado.
                    (D) Utah.
                    (E) Montana.
                    (F) North Dakota.
                    (G) Oklahoma.
                    (H) Nevada.
                    (I) Any other State in which there is land 
                available for oil and gas leasing under the Mineral 
                Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), the Mineral 
                Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.), 
                and any other applicable onshore mineral leasing laws.
            (2) Requirement.--In conducting a lease sale under 
        paragraph (1) in a State described in that paragraph, the 
        Secretary of the Interior shall offer all parcels eligible for 
        oil and gas development under the resource management plan in 
        effect for the State.
            (3) Replacement sales.--If, for any reason, a lease sale 
        under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year is canceled, delayed, or 
        deferred, including for a lack of eligible parcels, the 
        Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a replacement sale 
        during the same fiscal year.
    (c) Requirement To Submit Documents and Communications.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
        submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
        Representatives all documents and communications relating to 
        the comprehensive review of Federal oil and gas permitting and 
        leasing practices required under section 208 of Executive Order 
        14008 (86 Fed. Reg. 7624; relating to tackling the climate 
        crisis at home and abroad).
            (2) Inclusions.--The submission under paragraph (1) shall 
        include all documents and communications submitted to the 
        Secretary of the Interior by members of the public in response 
        to any public meeting or forum relating to the comprehensive 
        review described in that paragraph.
    (d) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
        submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
        Resources of the Senate a report that describes--
                    (A) the status of nominated parcels for future 
                onshore oil and gas lease sales, including--
                            (i) the number of expressions of interest 
                        that the Bureau of Land Management has not 
                        taken any action to review, or not completed 
                        review of, as of the date of enactment of this 
                        section; and
                            (ii) how long such expressions of interest 
                        have been pending;
                    (B) the status of each pending application for a 
                permit to drill in each Bureau of Land Management State 
                office as of the date of enactment of this section;
                    (C) the number of applications for a permit to 
                drill issued by each Bureau of Land Management State 
                office as of the date of enactment of this section;
                    (D) how the Bureau of Land Management determines 
                whether to--
                            (i) issue a permit to drill; and
                            (ii) issue, extend, or suspend an oil and 
                        gas lease;
                    (E) when determinations described in subparagraph 
                (D) are sent to the national office of the Bureau of 
                Land Management for final approval; and
                    (F) the degree to which Bureau of Land Management 
                field offices exercise discretion on such final 
                approval.
            (2) Public availability of data.--
                    (A) Expressions of interest.--Not later than 30 
                days after the date of enactment of this section, and 
                each month thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior 
                shall publish on the website of the Department of the 
                Interior the number of pending, approved, and not 
                approved expressions of interest in nominated parcels 
                for future onshore oil and gas lease sales in the 
                preceding month.
                    (B) Applications for permits to drill.--Not later 
                than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
                section, and each month thereafter, the Secretary of 
                the Interior shall publish on the website of the 
                Department of the Interior the number of pending and 
                approved applications for permits to drill in the 
                preceding month.
    (e) Processing Applications for Permits To Drill.--Section 17(p) of 
the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(4) Effect of pending civil action on processing 
        applications for permits to drill.--The Secretary may not delay 
        processing an application for a permit to drill under a valid 
        existing lease on the basis that there is a pending civil 
        action, unless and until a court determines the lease was not 
        issued in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
        of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).''.
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