California Land Protection Act
Bill: H.R.456 | Sponsor: Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. (D-CA)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
California Land Protection Act
This bill delays hydraulic fracturing of oil or gas resources on certain federal lands in California.
On December 12, 2019, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a record of decision for the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the BLM Bakersfield Field Office. This bill nullifies the EIS until the BLM completes and circulates for public comment a new EIS. The new EIS must consider the environmental effects of all oil or gas development in the planning area.
After the new EIS is published, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must review and publish comments regarding the EIS. If the EPA identifies significant environmental impacts or determines that there is insufficient information to assess the environmental impacts of all oil or gas development in the planning area, then the BLM must consult with the EPA before proceeding with federal oil or gas leasing in the planning area.

To require a new supplemental environmental impact statement for oil 
and gas development in the Bakersfield Field Office planning area, 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 ``California Land Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. DELAY OF OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT IN THE BAKERSFIELD FIELD 
              OFFICE PLANNING AREA.

    (a) New Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Required.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Record of Decision for 
the Bakersfield Field Office Hydraulic Fracturing published on December 
12, 2019, shall have no force or effect until the Director of the 
Bureau of Land Management completes and circulates for public comment a 
new supplemental environmental impact statement under section 102 of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) that 
considers the environmental effects of all oil and gas development in 
the Bakersfield Field Office planning area, as such area is described 
by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, including considering 
the effects on--
            (1) air quality;
            (2) greenhouse gas emissions and the climate;
            (3) groundwater quality and availability;
            (4) surface water quality and availability;
            (5) seismicity;
            (6) wildlife and plant species, including threatened 
        species and endangered species; and
            (7) low-income communities, communities of color, and 
        indigenous communities, including federally- and State-
        recognized Indian Tribes.
    (b) Environmental Protection Agency Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
        which the supplemental environmental impact statement required 
        by subsection (a) is published, the Administrator of the 
        Environmental Protection Agency shall review and publish 
        comments regarding such statement, including by--
                    (A) identifying whether there would be any 
                significant environmental impacts of oil and gas 
                leasing in the Bakersfield Field Office planning area 
                that should be avoided to adequately protect the 
                natural resources of such area; or
                    (B) making a determination whether the new 
                supplemental environmental impact statement required by 
                subsection (a) contains sufficient information to 
                assess the environmental impacts of all oil and gas 
                development in the Bakersfield Field Office planning 
                area.
            (2) Effect of determination of insufficient information.--
        If the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
        identifies a significant impact under paragraph (1)(A) or 
        determines there is insufficient information under paragraph 
        (1)(B), the Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall 
        consult with the Administrator before taking any action to 
        proceed with Federal oil and gas leasing in the Bakersfield 
        Field Office planning area.
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