Promoting Energy Independence and Transparency Act
Bill: H.R.7298 | Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Blake D. (R-UT)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Promoting Energy Independence and Transparency Act
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to take certain actions related to parcels of land that have been nominated for future sales of onshore oil and gas leases and related drilling permits. Specifically, Interior must (1) report to Congress about the status of the parcels, (2) publish on its website information concerning expressions of interest in nominated parcels and drilling permits, and (3) issue certain pending applications for drilling permits within 30 days.

To require the Secretary of the Interior to submit a report on 
expressions of interest and applications for permits to drill, to amend 
     the Mineral Leasing Act to require the publication of data on 
expressions of interest and applications for permits to drill, 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 ``Promoting Energy Independence and 
Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST; APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS TO DRILL.

    (a) Report.--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--
            (1) the status of nominated parcels for future onshore oil 
        and gas lease sales, including--
                    (A) 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
                    (B) how long such expressions of interest have been 
                pending;
            (2) 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, including--
                    (A) a description of the cause of delay for 
                outstanding applications, including as a result of 
                staffing shortages, technical limitations, incomplete 
                applications, and incomplete review pursuant to the 
                National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
                4321 et seq.) or other applicable laws;
                    (B) the number of days a permit has been 
                outstanding in violation of section 17(p)(2) of the 
                Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)(2)); and
                    (C) steps the office is taking to come into 
                compliance with the requirements of section 17(p)(2) of 
                the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)(2));
            (3) 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;
            (4) how the Bureau of Land Management determines whether 
        to--
                    (A) issue a permit to drill; and
                    (B) issue, extend, or suspend an oil and gas lease;
            (5) when determinations described in paragraph (4) are sent 
        to the national office of the Bureau of Land Management for 
        final approval; and
            (6) the degree to which the Bureau of Land Management field 
        offices exercise discretion on such final approval.
    (b) Pending Applications for Permits To Drill.--Not later than 30 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall issue all pending applications for a permit to drill 
that meet the requirements of section 17(p)(2) of the Mineral Leasing 
Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)(2)).
    (c) Public Availability of Data.--Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing 
Act (30 U.S.C. 226) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(q) Public Availability of Data.--
            ``(1) Expressions of interest.--Not later than 30 days 
        after the date of enactment of this subsection, 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.
            ``(2) Applications for permits to drill.--Not later than 30 
        days after the date of enactment of this subsection, 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.''.
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