On Thursday, the House Committee on Natural Resources approved an amendment to House Bill W000821, which mandates the immediate resumption of quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal lands, aiming to revitalize domestic energy production.
The amendment, introduced by Congressman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, requires the Secretary of the Interior to promptly resume quarterly lease sales in compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act.
It stipulates that lease sales must be conducted immediately upon completion of all legal requirements and says that each fiscal year, the secretary of Interior must conduct a minimum of four oil and gas lease sales in states with available federal lands, including Alaska, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Nevada.
In these sales, at least 50% of all nominated parcels that are available and eligible must be offered. If a scheduled lease sale is canceled, delayed, or results in a high percentage of unbid parcels, a replacement sale is mandated within the same fiscal year.
The amendment represents another reversal of Biden-era lockdowns in oil and gas producing states that have the vast majority of federally controlled lands.
The bill, with the approved amendment, is scheduled for further discussion in the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 6. If it advances, it will proceed to the full House for debate and a vote.
