Long Title: To streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, and for other purposes.

Sponsors: Mr. Hoeven

STATUS:

• September 18, 2014.--Introduced.

To streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, and for other purposes. (Introduced in Senate - IS)

S 2894 IS

To streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, and for other purposes.

Mr. HOEVEN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

To streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, 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. COMPLIANCE WITH BLM PERMITTING.

(a) In General- Notwithstanding any other provision of law but subject to any State requirements, a Bureau of Land Management drilling permit shall not be required under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or section 3164.1 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), for an action occurring within an oil and gas drilling or spacing unit if--

(1) less than 50 percent of the minerals within the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit are minerals owned by the Federal Government; and

(2) the Federal Government does not own or lease the surface estate within the boundaries of the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit.

(b) Effect- Nothing in this Act affects the right of the Federal Government to receive royalties due to the Federal Government from the production of the Federal minerals within the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit.