Oil and Gas Lease Reform Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6860
Sponsor: Rep. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN-7]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Commerce
Department of the Interior
Energy
Energy development
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal preemption
Gas in submerged lands
Gas industry
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Licenses
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Natural gas
Oil and gas leases
Oil pollution
Oil well drilling
Petroleum
Petroleum in submerged lands
Petroleum industry
Pollution control
Prospecting
State laws
Water pollution control

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
Oil and Gas Lease Reform Act of 2008 - Declares that no state environmental or pollution control law regulating the emission of pollutants or protecting human health or the environment shall apply to any activity under a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas on federal lands (including submerged lands), including any such state law expressly applicable to such activity under any other federal law.
 
Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) to define &quot;unnecessary or undue degradation,&quot; including: (1) surface or submerged disturbance greater than what would normally result when an activity is being accomplished by a prudent operator in usual, customary, and proficient operations of similar character and taking into considerations the effect of operations on other resources and land uses, including those resources and uses outside the area of operations; (2) failure to initiate and complete reasonable mitigation measures or to comply with applicable federal environmental statutes and regulations thereunder; or (3) failure to abide by the terms and conditions of an approved plan of operations and operations described in a complete notice.
 
Amends the FLPMA, the Mineral Leasing Act, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from suspending any lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas, unless: (1) operations under the lease will present an imminent threat or harm to public safety or will significantly damage the public lands outside lease stipulations; or (2) the suspension is requested by the lessee. Prescribes requirements for review and termination of a suspension.
 
Limits the requirement of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for an environmental impact statement for a lease for oil or natural gas exploration, development, or production on federal lands to: (1) sale of the lease by the lessee; and (2) a single statement and a single review, upon lessee request, with respect to all plans and permits required for exploration, development, production, and construction of infrastructure to be carried out under the lease.
 
Requires issuance of an exploration, development, or production permit if the Secretary determines that the comprehensive plan for the project complies with NEPA requirements.
 
Prescribes appeals process, enforcement, and specified related requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2008-09-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in House