Harmonizing America's Energy, Economy, Environment, and National Security Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3669
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2008-10-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Air pollution control
Alaska
Alternative energy sources
Animals
Arctic and polar regions
Armed Forces and National Security
Collective bargaining
Congress
Continental shelf
Defense procurement
Department of the Interior
Easements
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Energy research
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Fishing
Gas in submerged lands
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat conservation
Hunting
Impact aid
Income tax
Indigenous peoples
Labor and Employment
Labor contracts
Land transfers
Law
Legislation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Minorities
Oil and gas leases
Oil and gas royalties
Oil pollution
Oil shales
Oil well drilling
Petroleum in submerged lands
Petroleum reserves
Pipelines
Prospecting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research and development
Right-of-way
Science, Technology, Communications
State finance
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Taxation
Transportation and Public Works
Trapping
Water pollution control
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: 
Harmonizing America's Energy, Economy, Environment, and National Security Act of 2008 - Terminates all federal prohibitions on the expenditure of appropriated funds to conduct natural gas, oil, oil shale, and other energy production leasing, preleasing, and related activities on federal lands. Revokes withdrawals of federal submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from leasing for natural gas and oil exploration, development, and production. Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to repeal the moratorium on oil and gas leasing in specified areas of the Gulf of Mexico.

Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to: (1) require the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to consult with the Secretary of Defense to resolve conflicts between military operation needs for the OCS and leasing under such Act; (2) provide for the allocation of sums collected by the United States under qualified leases on submerged lands made available for leasing under such Act; and (3) modify state seaward boundaries requirements.

Authorizes the exploration, leasing, development, production, and transportation of oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain in Alaska. Instructs the Secretary to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program for oil and gas exploration, development, and production in the Coastal Plain.

Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 

Authorizes the Secretary to designate not more than 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain (including the Sadlerochit Spring area) as a special area requiring special management and regulatory protection. Prohibits surface occupancy of land comprising the special area if the Secretary leases all or a portion of it for oil and gas exploration and development. Authorizes the Secretary to lease all or a portion of a special area under terms that permit the use of horizontal drilling technology from sites on leases located outside the special area (directional drilling).

Sets forth procedures for lease sales and lease grants.

Prohibits the Secretary from closing land within the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing, exploration, development, or production except in accordance with this Act.

Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) Coastal Plain environmental protection; (2) rights-of-way and easements; and (3) local government impact aid and community service assistance.

Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 to repeal the prohibition against using funds to: (1) promulgate regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale (and tar sands) resources on public lands pursuant to requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 with regard to a programmatic environmental impact statement for such program; or (2) conduct an oil shale lease sale.

Establishes the Conservation Reserve Account and the Renewable Energy Reserve Account to offset the cost of legislation enacted after this Act for, respectively: (1) conservation programs and tax credits and deductions for energy efficiency in residential, commercial, industrial, and public sectors; and (2) accelerating the use of cleaner domestic energy resources and alternative fuels, promoting the use of energy-efficient products and practices, and increasing research, development, and deployment of clean renewable energy and efficiency technologies and job training programs.

Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal the prohibition against federal agencies procuring alternative or synthetic fuel for mobility-related uses, other than for research or testing, unless the associated lifecycle GHG emissions will be less than or equal to emissions from fuel from conventional petroleum sources.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10330-10335)
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10328-10330)
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Introduced in Senate