In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
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Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction
Act of 2008''.

TITLE I--CRIMINAL PROHIBITION

SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS.

Congress finds and declares that operating or embarking in a
submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and
on an international voyage is a serious international problem,
facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and
terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime
navigation and the security of the United States.

SEC. 102. OPERATION OF SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL OR SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL
WITHOUT NATIONALITY.

(a) In General.--Chapter 111 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
''Sec. 2285. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel
without nationality
''(a) Offense.--Whoever knowingly operates, or attempts or
conspires to operate, by any means, or embarks in any submersible
vessel or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that
is navigating or has navigated into, through, or from waters beyond the
outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral
limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with
the intent to evade detection, shall be fined under this title,
imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.
''(b) Evidence of Intent To Evade Detection.--For purposes of
subsection (a), the presence of any of the indicia described in
paragraph (1)(A), (E), (F), or (G), or in paragraph (4), (5), or (6),
of section 70507(b) of title 46 may be considered, in the totality of
the circumstances, to be prima facie evidence of intent to evade
detection.
''(c) Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.--There is extraterritorial
Federal jurisdiction over an offense under this section, including an
attempt or conspiracy to commit such an offense.
''(d) Claim of Nationality or Registry.--A claim of nationality or
registry under this section includes only--
''(1) possession on board the vessel and production of
documents evidencing the vessel's nationality as provided in
article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;
''(2) flying its nation's ensign or flag; or
''(3) a verbal claim of nationality or registry by the
master or individual in charge of the vessel.
''(e) Affirmative Defenses.--
''(1) In general.--It is an affirmative defense to a
prosecution for a violation of subsection (a), which the
defendant has the burden to prove by a preponderance of the
evidence, that the submersible vessel or semi-submersible
vessel involved was, at the time of the offense--
''(A) a vessel of the United States or lawfully
registered in a foreign nation as claimed by the master
or individual in charge of the vessel when requested to
make a claim by an officer of the United States
authorized to enforce applicable provisions of United
States law;
''(B) classed by and designed in accordance with
the rules of a classification society;
''(C) lawfully operated in government-regulated or
licensed activity, including commerce, research, or
exploration; or
''(D) equipped with and using an operable automatic
identification system, vessel monitoring system, or
long range identification and tracking system.
''(2) Production of documents.--The affirmative defenses
provided by this subsection are proved conclusively by the
production of--
''(A) government documents evidencing the vessel's
nationality at the time of the offense, as provided in
article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;
''(B) a certificate of classification issued by the
vessel's classification society upon completion of
relevant classification surveys and valid at the time
of the offense; or
''(C) government documents evidencing licensure,
regulation, or registration for commerce, research, or
exploration.
''(f) Federal Activities Excepted.--Nothing in this section applies
to lawfully authorized activities carried out by or at the direction of
the United States Government.
''(g) Applicability of Other Provisions.--Sections 70504 and 70505
of title 46 apply to offenses under this section in the same manner as
they apply to offenses under section 70503 of such title.
''(h) Definitions.--In this section, the terms 'submersible
vessel', 'semi-submersible vessel', 'vessel of the United States', and
'vessel without nationality' have the meaning given those terms in
section 70502 of title 46.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 111 of
title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 2284 the following:

''2285. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel
without nationality.''.

SEC. 103. SENTENCING GUIDELINES.

(a) In General.--Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of
title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the
United States Sentencing Commission shall promulgate sentencing
guidelines (including policy statements) or amend existing sentencing
guidelines (including policy statements) to provide adequate penalties
for persons convicted of knowingly operating by any means or embarking
in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel in violation of
section 2285 of title 18, United States Code.
(b) Requirements.--In carrying out this section, the United States
Sentencing Commission shall--
(1) ensure that the sentencing guidelines and policy
statements reflect the serious nature of the offense described
in section 2285 of title 18, United States Code, and the need
for deterrence to prevent such offenses;
(2) account for any aggravating or mitigating circumstances
that might justify exceptions, including--
(A) the use of a submersible vessel or semi-
submersible vessel described in section 2285 of title
18, United States Code, to facilitate other felonies;
(B) the repeated use of a submersible vessel or
semi-submersible vessel described in section 2285 of
title 18, United States Code, to facilitate other
felonies, including whether such use is part of an
ongoing criminal organization or enterprise;
(C) whether the use of such a vessel involves a
pattern of continued and flagrant violations of section
2285 of title 18, United States Code;
(D) whether the persons operating or embarking in a
submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel willfully
caused, attempted to cause, or permitted the
destruction or damage of such vessel or failed to heave
to when directed by law enforcement officers; and
(E) circumstances for which the sentencing
guidelines (and policy statements) provide sentencing
enhancements;
(3) ensure reasonable consistency with other relevant
directives, other sentencing guidelines and policy statements,
and statutory provisions;
(4) make any necessary and conforming changes to the
sentencing guidelines and policy statements; and
(5) ensure that the sentencing guidelines and policy
statements adequately meet the purposes of sentencing set forth
in section 3553(a)(2) of title 18, United States Code.

TITLE II--CIVIL PROHIBITION

SEC. 201. OPERATION OF SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL OR SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL
WITHOUT NATIONALITY.

(a) Finding and Declaration.--Section 70501 of title 46, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ''(1)'' after ''that''; and
(2) by striking ''States.'' and inserting ''States and (2)
operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-
submersible vessel without nationality and on an international
voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates
transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism,
and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime
navigation and the security of the United States.''.

SEC. 202. OPERATION PROHIBITED.

(a) In General.--Chapter 705 of title 46, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
''Sec. 70508. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible
vessel without nationality
''(a) In General.--An individual may not operate by any means or
embark in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel that is
without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into,
through, or from waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea
of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial
sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection
''(b) Evidence of Intent To Evade Detection.--In any civil
enforcement proceeding for a violation of subsection (a), the presence
of any of the indicia described in paragraph (1)(A), (E), (F), or (G),
or in paragraph (4), (5), or (6), of section 70507(b) may be
considered, in the totality of the circumstances, to be prima facie
evidence of intent to evade detection.
''(c) Defenses.--
''(1) In general.--It is a defense in any civil enforcement
proceeding for a violation of subsection (a) that the
submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel involved was, at
the time of the violation--
''(A) a vessel of the United States or lawfully
registered in a foreign nation as claimed by the master
or individual in charge of the vessel when requested to
make a claim by an officer of the United States
authorized to enforce applicable provisions of United
States law;
''(B) classed by and designed in accordance with
the rules of a classification society;
''(C) lawfully operated in government-regulated or
licensed activity, including commerce, research, or
exploration; or
''(D) equipped with and using an operable automatic
identification system, vessel monitoring system, or
long range identification and tracking system.
''(2) Production of documents.--The defenses provided by
this subsection are proved conclusively by the production of--
''(A) government documents evidencing the vessel's
nationality at the time of the offense, as provided in
article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;
''(B) a certificate of classification issued by the
vessel's classification society upon completion of
relevant classification surveys and valid at the time
of the offense; or
''(C) government documents evidencing licensure,
regulation, or registration for research or
exploration.
''(d) Civil Penalty.--A person violating this section shall be
liable to the United States for a civil penalty of not more than
$1,000,000.''
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) The chapter analysis for chapter 705 of title 46,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 70507 the following:

''70508. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel
without nationality.''.
(2) Section 70504(b) of title 46, United States Code, is
amended by inserting ''or 70508'' after ''70503''.
(3) Section 70505 of title 46, United States Code, is
amended by striking ''this title'' and inserting ''this title,
or against whom a civil enforcement proceeding is brought under
section 70508,''.

SEC. 203. SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL AND SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL DEFINED.

Section 70502 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end thereof the following:
''(f) Semi-Submersible Vessel; Submersible Vessel.--In this
chapter:
''(1) Semi-submersible vessel.--The term 'semi-submersible
vessel' means any watercraft constructed or adapted to be
capable of operating with most of its hull and bulk under the
surface of the water, including both manned and unmanned
watercraft.
''(2) Submersible vessel.--The term 'submersible vessel'
means a vessel that is capable of operating completely below
the surface of the water, including both manned and unmanned
watercraft.''.

Answer: Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or attempting or conspiring to operate by any means, or for embarking in, any submersible or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through, or from waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to avoid detection. Imposes an additional civil fine of up to $1 million for violations.

Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''National Breast and Cervical Cancer
Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER EARLY DETECTION PROGRAM.

Title XV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300k et seq.)
is amended--
(1) in section 1501(d)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ''2000'' and
inserting ''2020''; and
(B) by striking ''by the year 2000'' and inserting
''by the year 2020'';
(2) in section 1503, by adding at the end the following:
''(d) Waiver of Services Requirement on Division of Funds.--
''(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a
demonstration project under which the Secretary, acting through
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
may waive the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (4) of
subsection (a) for not more than 5 States, if--
''(A)(i) the State involved will use the waiver to
leverage private funds to supplement each of the
services or activities described in paragraphs (1) and
(2) of section 1501(a); or
''(ii) the application of such requirement would
result in a barrier to the enrollment of qualifying
women;
''(B) the State involved provides assurances that
the State will, on an annual basis, demonstrate to the
Secretary the manner in which the State will use such
waiver to maintain or expand the level of screening and
follow-up services provided immediately prior to the
waiver, and provide documentation of compliance with
such maintenance or expansion requirement;
''(C) the State involved submits to the Secretary a
plan for maintaining the level of activities carried
out under the waiver after the expiration of the
waiver;
''(D) the Secretary finds that granting such a
waiver to a State will not reduce the number of women
in the State that receive each of the services or
activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
section 1501(a), including making available screening
procedures for both breast and cervical cancers; and
''(E) the Secretary finds that granting such a
waiver to a State will not adversely affect the quality
of each of the services or activities described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1501(a).
''(2) Duration of waiver.--
''(A) In general.--In granting waivers under
paragraph (1), the Secretary--
''(i) shall grant such waivers for a period
of 2 years; and
''(ii) upon request of a State, may extend
a waiver for an additional 2-year period in
accordance with subparagraph (B).
''(B) Additional period.--The Secretary, upon the
request of a State that has received a waiver under
paragraph (1), shall, at the end of the 2-year waiver
period described in subparagraph (A), review
performance under the waiver and may extend the waiver
for an additional 2-year period if the Secretary
determines that--
''(i)(I) without an extension of the
waiver, there will be a barrier to the
enrollment of qualifying women; or
''(II) the State requesting such extended
waiver will use the waiver to leverage private
funds to supplement the services or activities
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section
1501(a);
''(ii) the waiver has not, and will not,
reduce the number of women in the State that
receive the services or activities described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1501(a);
''(iii) the waiver has not, and will not,
result in lower quality in the State of the
services or activities described in paragraphs
(1) and (2) of section 1501(a); and
''(iv) the State has maintained the average
annual level of State fiscal expenditures for
the services and activities described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1501(a) for
the 2 years for which the waiver was granted at
a level that is not less than the level of the
State fiscal expenditures for such services and
activities for the year preceding the first
year for which the waiver is granted.
''(3) Reporting requirements.--The Secretary shall include
as part of the evaluations and reports required under section
1508, the following:
''(A) A description of the total amount of dollars
leveraged annually from private entities in States
receiving a waiver under paragraph (1) and how these
amounts were used.
''(B) With respect to States receiving a waiver
under paragraph (1), a description of the percentage of
the grant that is expended on providing each of the
services or activities described in--
''(i) paragraphs (1) and (2) of section
1501(a); and
''(ii) paragraphs (3) through (6) of
section 1501(a).
''(C) A description of the number of States
receiving waivers under paragraph (1) annually.
''(D) With respect to States receiving a waiver
under paragraph (1), a description of--
''(i) the number of women receiving
services under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of
section 1501(a) in programs before and after
the granting of such waiver; and
''(ii) the average annual level of State
fiscal expenditures for the services and
activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2)
of section 1501(a) for the year preceding the
first year for which the waiver was granted.
''(4) Limitation.--Amounts to which a waiver applies under
this subsection shall not be used to increase the number of
salaried employees.
''(5) Definitions.--In this subsection:
''(A) Indian tribe.--The term 'Indian tribe' has
the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian
Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
''(B) Tribal organization.--The term 'tribal
organization' has the meaning given the term in section
4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
''(C) State.--The term 'State' means each of the
several States of the United States, the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau,
an Indian tribe, and a tribal organization.'';
(3) in section 1508--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ''evaluations of
the extent to which'' and all that follows through the
period and inserting: ''evaluations of--
''(1) the extent to which States carrying out such programs
are in compliance with section 1501(a)(2) and with section
1504(c); and
''(2) the extent to which each State receiving a grant
under this title is in compliance with section 1502, including
identification of--
''(A) the amount of the non-Federal contributions
by the State for the preceding fiscal year,
disaggregated according to the source of the
contributions; and
''(B) the proportion of such amount of non-Federal
contributions relative to the amount of Federal funds
provided through the grant to the State for the
preceding fiscal year.''; and
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ''not later than
1 year after the date on which amounts are first
appropriated pursuant to section 1509(a), and annually
thereafter'' and inserting ''not later than 1 year
after the date of the enactment of the National Breast
and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
Reauthorization of 2006, and annually thereafter''; and
(4) in section 1510(a)--
(A) by striking ''and'' after ''$150,000,000 for
fiscal year 1994,''; and
(B) by inserting '', $225,000,000 for fiscal year
2007, $245,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $250,000,000
for fiscal year 2009, $255,000,000 for fiscal year
2010, and $275,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'' before
the period at the end.

Passed the House of Representatives December 9 (legislative
day, December 8), 2006.

Attest:

KAREN L. HAAS,

Clerk.

Answer: National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to change from 2000 to 2020 the target year for achieving the objectives established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for reductions in the rate of mortality from breast and cervical cancer in the United States for the committee coordinating Public Health Service activities.

Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration project which allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to waive requirements for awarding breast and cervical cancer grants that require 60% of grant funds to be spent on screening and referrals for medical treatments and no more than 40% to be spent on other activities for not more than five states, if: (1) the state involved will use the waiver to leverage private funds to supplement screening and referral services or the application of such requirements would result in a barrier to the enrollment of women; (2) the state involved provides assurance that the state will annually demonstrate how it will use the waiver to maintain or expand the level of screening and follow-up services provided; (3) the state involved submits to the Secretary a plan for maintaining the level of activities carried out under the waiver after the expiration of the waiver; (4) the Secretary finds that granting such a waiver to a state will not reduce the number of women in the state who receive such services, including screening for both breast and cervical cancers; and (5) the Secretary finds that granting such a waiver to a state will not adversely affect the quality of such services. Requires the Secretary to grant such waivers for a period of two years. Allows the Secretary to extend a waiver, upon request of a state, for additional two-year periods if the Secretary reviews performance under the waiver and finds that the waiver requirements are and have been met.

Requires the Secretary to include as part of the evaluations of the activities carried out pursuant to breast and cervical cancer grants: (1) the total amount of dollars leveraged annually from private entities in states receiving a waiver and how these amounts were used; (2) for states receiving a waiver, the percentages of the grant expended on screening and referral services and on other services or activities; (3) the number of states receiving waivers annually; (4) the number of women receiving screening and referral services in programs before and after the granting of a waiver; (5) the average annual level of state fiscal expenditures for such services for the year preceding the grant of the waiver; and (6) the amount of non-federal contributions by the state according to source and the proportion of non-federal funds to federal funds. Prohibits the use of amounts to which a waiver applies to increase the number of salaried employees.

Authorizes appropriations for breast and cervical cancer grants from FY2007-FY2011.

Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act
of 2008''.

SEC. 2. OIL SHALE AND TAR SANDS LEASING.

Section 369 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15927) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ''Not later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, in''
and inserting the following:
''(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of the Oil Shale and Tar Sands
Leasing Act of 2008, in''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
''(B) Additional comment period.--The Governors of
each of the States of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming shall
be afforded an additional 90 days beyond the public
comment period during which to comment on the final
programmatic environmental impact statement prior to
issuance of a record of decision by the Secretary.'';
and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the heading by striking ''(2) Final
regulation.--Not'' and inserting the following:
''(2) Proposed regulation.--
''(A) In general.--Not'';
(ii) by striking ''6 months'' and inserting
''1 year'';
(iii) by striking ''final'' and inserting
''proposed''; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
''(B) Public comment.--The proposed regulations
under this paragraph shall be open to public comment
for not less than 120 days.'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (e) through (s) as
subsections (g) through (u), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
''(e) Analysis of Commercial Leasing Program.--
''(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date
of enactment of the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act of
2008, and concurrent with the development of the proposed
regulations as required by this section, the Secretary shall,
in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy and the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, prepare
and submit to Congress a report (including recommendations)
that analyzes the elements of a commercial leasing program for
oil shale and tar sands, taking into account any findings from
the research and development program conducted under subsection
(c).
''(2) Inclusions.--The report under paragraph (1) shall
include--
''(A) an analysis of--
''(i) technologies and research and
development programs for the production of oil
and other materials from oil shale and tar
sands in existence on the date on which the
report is prepared;
''(ii) whether leases under the program
should be issued on a competitive basis;
''(iii) the term of the leases;
''(iv) the maximum size of the leases;
''(v) the minimum size of the leases;
''(vi) the use and distribution of bonus
bid payments;
''(vii) the royalty rate to be applied,
including whether a sliding scale royalty rate
should be used;
''(viii) the maximum number of leases and
maximum acreage to be leased under the leasing
program to a single lessee or an individual;
''(ix) any infrastructure required to
support oil shale and tar sands development in
industry and communities;
''(x) any conditions that should be imposed
in leases to minimize the impacts on--
''(I) air quality and conditions,
including greenhouse gas emissions;
''(II) water quality and quantity;
''(III) human health;
''(IV) local communities; and
''(V) wildlife habitat;
''(xi) policies that are necessary to
mitigate the adverse impacts of commercial oil
shale and tar sands exploration, development,
and production activities on wildlife and other
environmental resources that may be affected by
a commercial oil shale and tar sands leasing
and development program;
''(xii) reclamation bonding requirements
that should be imposed to guarantee the
reclamation of areas disturbed by oil shale and
tar sands exploration, development, and
production activities; and
''(xiii) appropriate diligent development
and minimum production requirements;
''(B) an identification of events that should serve
as a precursor to commercial leasing, including--
''(i) the development of environmentally
and commercially viable technologies; and
''(ii) the completion of land use planning
and environmental reviews; and
''(C) an analysis, developed in conjunction with
the appropriate State water resources agencies, of the
demand for, and availability of, water with respect to
the development of oil shale and tar sands, including
the best available estimates of the impacts of
population growth and climate change on availability
and timing of freshwater throughout the Colorado River
Basin.
''(3) Public participation.--In preparing the report under
this subsection, the Secretary shall provide notice to, and
solicit comment from--
''(A) the public;
''(B) representatives of local government;
''(C) representatives of industry; and
''(D) other interested parties.
''(4) Participation by certain states.--In preparing the
report under this subsection, the Secretary shall--
''(A) provide timely notice to, and solicit comment
from, the Governors of each of the States of Colorado,
Utah, and Wyoming;
''(B) allow each of the Governors of Colorado,
Utah, and Wyoming a period of not less than 90 days to
provide comments on the report; and
''(C) incorporate into the report submitted to
Congress under paragraph (1) any response of the
Secretary to those comments.
''(5) Incorporation of findings by nas.--In preparing the
report required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall refer to
and use information and recommendations made by the National
Academy of Sciences in the report described in subsection (f).
''(f) National Academy of Sciences Report and Recommendations.--
''(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act of 2008,
the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the
Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, shall enter into an arrangement with the
National Academy of Sciences under which the Academy shall
conduct a study to assess the environmental and commercial
framework for oil shale and tar sands development in the United
States.
''(2) Matters to be addressed.--The study shall address--
''(A) the importance of oil shale and tar sands
production to meet the energy needs of the United
States;
''(B) the status of oil shale and tar sands
research and development efforts;
''(C) the likely positive and negative implications
of the various technologies for the commercial
production of oil from oil shale and tar sands
resources, including the cumulative effects of other
energy infrastructure necessary for such production,
on--
''(i) water resources (including surface
water and groundwater), including the quantity
and quality of water;
''(ii) air quality, including greenhouse
gas emissions;
''(iii) human health;
''(iv) local communities;
''(v) wildlife habitat; and
''(vi) regional energy needs;
''(D) the timeframe for viable large-scale
commercial oil shale and tar sands production and
events that should serve as a precursor to commercial
leasing, such as development of commercially viable and
environmentally safe technologies;
''(E) the feasibility and advisability of
initiating a pilot program for commercial leasing;
''(F) energy sources needed for extraction
technologies and the resulting energy balance and
associated costs;
''(G) potential greenhouse gas emissions for each
technology and sequestration opportunities;
''(H) potential social and environmental impacts of
commercial oil shale and tar sands production,
including groundwater and surface water usage;
''(I) workforce capacity requirements associated
with large-scale commercial development; and
''(J) appropriate terms and conditions for
commercial oil shale leases on public land, including
royalty rates, diligent development requirements,
environmental conditions, and length of the lease term.
''(3) Recommendations.--The study shall--
''(A) analyze the viability of, and timeframe for,
environmentally safe commercial oil shale and tar sands
development; and
''(B) make recommendations as to changes, if any,
to Federal law (including regulations) needed to
facilitate the commercial production of oil shale and
tar sands resources in a manner that minimizes adverse
social and environmental impacts and ensures a fair
return to the public.
''(4) Completion of study.--The National Academy of
Sciences shall--
''(A) not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act of
2008, submit the findings and recommendations of the
study to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary
of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency; and
''(B) on completion of the study, make the results
of the study available to the public.
''(5) Report to congress.--Not later than 180 days after
receiving the results of the study, the Secretary of the
Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall
report to Congress on--
''(A) the findings and recommendations of the
study;
''(B) the agreement or disagreement of the
Secretary with each of the findings and recommendations
of the study; and
''(C)(i) a plan and timeframe for implementing the
recommendations of the study through regulations or
otherwise; or
''(ii) if the Secretary declines to implement a
recommendation, the justification for declining to
implement the recommendation.'';
(4) in subsection (g) (as redesignated by paragraph (2))--
(A) by striking ''Not later'' and inserting the
following:
''(1) In general.--Not later'';
(B) in the first sentence, by striking ''of the
final regulation required by subsection (d)'' and
inserting ''of final regulations issued under this
section (taking into account the findings and
recommendations of the studies and reports required by
subsections (e) and (f) and the results of research and
development carried out under leases entered into for
that purpose)'';
(C) in the second sentence, by striking ''If the
Secretary finds sufficient support and interest exists
in a State,'' and inserting the following:
''(2) Lease sale.--If the Secretary finds sufficient
support and interest exists in a State and determines that the
technology for the development of tar sands and oil shale
resources is commercially and technically viable,'';
(D) in the third sentence, by striking ''Evidence
of'' and inserting the following:
''(3) Evidence of interest.--Evidence of''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following:
''(4) Recommendations of states on proposed lease sales and
development and production plans.--
''(A) In general.--Any Governor of an affected
State or the executive of any affected local government
in the State may submit recommendations to the
Secretary regarding the size, timing, or location of a
proposed lease sale or with respect to a proposed
development and production plan.
''(B) Forwarding local recommendations to
governor.--Prior to submitting recommendations to the
Secretary, the executive of any affected local
government in any affected State shall forward the
recommendations of the executive to the Governor of the
State.
''(C) Deadline.--The recommendations shall be
submitted not later than 60 days after the date of
notice of the proposed lease sale or the date of
receipt of the development and production plan.
''(D) Approval.--The Secretary shall accept the
recommendations of the Governor, and may accept the
recommendations of the executive of any affected local
government, if the Secretary determines, after having
provided an opportunity for consultation, that the
recommendations provide for a reasonable balance
between the national interest and the well-being of the
citizens of the affected State.
''(E) Rationale.--The Secretary shall communicate
to the Governor, in writing, the reasons for the
determination of the Governor--
''(i) to accept or reject the
recommendations of the Governor; or
''(ii) to implement any alternative means,
identified in consultation with the Governor,
to provide for a reasonable balance between the
national interest and the well-being of the
citizens of the affected State.
''(5) Environmental compliance.--An environmental impact
statement or similar analysis required under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) shall
be required--
''(A) prior to any lease sale with respect to the
land proposed to be leased under the commercial leasing
program established under this subsection; and
''(B) on a site-specific basis prior to the
authorization of any development activity on any leased
land.''; and
(5) in subsection (i)(1)(B) (as redesignated by paragraph
(2)), by striking ''subsection (e)'' and inserting ''subsection
(g)''.

Answer:
Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act of 2008 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) report to Congress on a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands; and (2) arrange with the National Academy of Sciences to assess for a report to Congress the environmental and commercial framework for oil shale and tar sands development.

Authorizes the senior executive of an affected state or local governmental unit to submit recommendations to the Secretary with respect to size, timing, or location of either a proposed lease sale, or a proposed development and production plan.

Requires an environmental impact statement prior to: (1) any lease sale under the commercial leasing program under this Act; and (2) authorization, on a site-specific basis, of development activity on leased land.