On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will hold a markup to consider legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive of cutting $1 billion in net spending over 10 years included in section 2001 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, H. Con. Res.14.

Hearing memo

Committee print amendment in the nature of a substitute

Committee print overview

The bill plans four lease sales for the coastal plain of the Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Refuge over the next ten years. The plan also envisages a restart of the lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska plus quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales and new offshore tenders. The legislation would open about 85 percent of BLM land “with high potential” for future oil and gas development to leasing, while low and medium-potential areas would be largely closed to leasing. It would mandate quarterly oil and gas lease sales and return royalty rates — which were increased to 16.67 percent through the Inflation Reduction Act — back down to 12.5 percent, and cut coal-mining royalty rates from 12.5 percent to 7 percent.

Also included (Sec. 80173) is language from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which transfers offshore oil and gas revenues in federal waters to the bordering state governments.

Included are proposals to prohibit the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Management plans for the Offices of Colorado River Valley, Colo.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Rock Springs, Wyo.; Buffalo, Wyo.; Miles City, Mont.; and North Dakota.

The bill would create a new fee that project sponsors can pay to accelerate environmental reviews and limit litigation while also increasing the fee to file a protest against oil and gas lease sales.

The bill would also zero out several unobligated IRA funds for climate causes, require more timber harvests and create a new revenue-sharing mechanism for renewable energy on public lands.

TITLE VIII — COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Subtitle A — Energy and Mineral Resources

PART I – OIL AND GAS

SEC. 80101. ONSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALES.

• Reinstates quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales for WY, NM, CO, UT, MT, ND, OK, NV, AK, and all other states where land is available for oil and gas leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act.
• Requires the Secretary to offer land for leasing if the Secretary determines the land is open to oil and gas leasing under an approved land use plan within 18 months of the date of receipt of an expression of interest. ** Stipulates that revisions of an approved land use plan shall not prevent or delay leasing under this section if all the other requirements are met.
• Makes Applications for Permit to Drill (APDs) valid for a single, nonrenewable four-year period.
• CBO estimates Sections 80101, 80102, 80103, 80104, and 80105 will collectively generate up to $12 billion in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80102. NONCOMPETITIVE LEASING.

• Requires that lands which do not receive bids during an oil and gas lease sale, or where the highest bid is less than the national minimum, must be offered within 30 days for noncompetitive leasing.

SEC. 80103. PERMIT FEES.

• Requires the Secretary to approve applications for the commingling of production from two or more sources, such as oil and gas leases or communitized areas, if a fee is paid.
• Mandates the Secretary to develop regulations to allow oil and gas activity to occur through a permit-by-rule process if a fee is paid.

SEC. 80104. PERMITTING FEE FOR NON-FEDERAL LAND.

• Establishes that the Secretary shall not require a permit to drill for an oil and gas lease under the Mineral Leasing Act if the lessee pays a fee of $5,000 and the federal government owns less than 50 percent of the minerals in the oil and gas drilling unit and does not own the surface estate where drilling will take place.

SEC. 80105. REINSTATE REASONABLE ROYALTY RATES.

• Reinstates the 12.5 percent royalty rate on offshore production, reducing it back to pre-Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) levels.
• Reinstates the 12.5 percent royalty rate on onshore production, reducing it back to pre-IRA levels.

PART II – GEOTHERMAL

SEC. 80111. GEOTHERMAL LEASING.

• Requires the Secretary to hold geothermal lease sales yearly and to hold replacement sales in the event that a lease sale is delayed or cancelled.
• CBO estimates Sections 80111 and 80112 will collectively generate up to $23 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80112. GEOTHERMAL ROYALTIES.

• Stipulates that geothermal facilities on the same geothermal lease are treated as separate facilities with respect to royalty payment.

PART III – ALASKA

SEC. 80121. COASTAL PLAIN OIL AND GAS LEASING.

• Reissues the energy leases revoked by the Biden administration and mandates the Secretary conduct four lease sales under the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska within the next ten years.
• Mandates that the revenues from leases authorized by the Act be split evenly between the state and the federal government until 2035, when the state would start receiving 90 percent.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $950 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80122. NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE-ALASKA.

• Formalizes the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) oil and gas program and expeditiously resumes leasing for energy production in the NPR-A. In resuming this program, this section requires that the Secretary hold lease sales at least every other year and offer at least 4,000,000 acres per lease sale in the NPR-A.
• Mandates that the revenues from leases authorized by the Act be split evenly between the state and the federal government until 2035, when the state would start receiving 90 percent.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $550 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

PART IV – MINING

SEC. 80131. SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST LANDS IN MINNESOTA.

• Rescinds Public Land Order (PLO) No. 7917, which withdrew federal lands in Northern Minnesota from mineral entry. Reinstates, for 20 years, the leases cancelled by the Biden administration in the Superior National Forest. Stipulates terms and conditions for the leases.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $80 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80132. AMBLER ROAD IN ALASKA.

• Establishes a $500,000 per year rental fee for a surface transportation access road from the Ambler Mining District to the Dalton Highway.
• Stipulates that the timely construction and operation of the road are in the national interest.
• Rescinds the Biden administration’s record of decision (ROD) and replaces it with the 2020 ROD, which includes a preferred alternative that allows for road construction.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $5 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

PART V – COAL

SEC. 80141. COAL LEASING.

• Mandates coal lease sales and stipulates the requirements for such lease sales.
• CBO estimates Sections 80141, 80142, 80143, and 80302 will collectively generate up to $237 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80142. FUTURE COAL LEASING.

• Rescinds Secretarial Order 3338, which put a moratorium on new coal leasing and prevents similar action in the future.

SEC. 80143. COAL ROYALTY.

• Reduces the royalty rate from 12.5 percent to 7 percent on all coal leases, new and active.

SEC. 80144. AUTHORIZATION TO MINE FEDERAL MINERALS.

• Authorizes the mining of all Federal coal reserves leased under Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988 in accordance with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $42 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

PART VI– NEPA

SEC. 80151. PROJECT SPONSOR OPT-IN FEES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.

• Allows a project sponsor to pay a fee equal to 125 percent of the anticipated costs of expected agency activities to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) or environmental assessment (EA). If the project sponsor pays the fee, they will receive their EIS in 1 year and their EA in six months.
• The EIS or EA would not be subject to judicial review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $1.4 billion in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80152. RESCISSION RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE DATA COLLECTION.

• Rescinds IRA funding for the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $25 million in savings for the federal government.

PART VII – MISCELLANEOUS

SEC. 80161. PROTEST FEES.

• Establishes a filing fee for protests of oil and gas lease sales.
• Stipulates the amount that must be paid based on the page length of the protest and the number of oil and gas parcels included in the protest.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $10 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

PART VIII – OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASING

SEC. 80171. MANDATORY OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALES.

• Mandates a series of offshore oil and gas lease sales to generate federal revenue through bonus bids, rentals, and royalties over specified periods. ** Gulf of America: Requires the Secretary to hold at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf of America over 15 years (2025–2040) beginning in August 2025, with locations tied to the 2017–2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Program, and a minimum of 80 million acres per sale, using terms from Lease Sale 254. ** Cook Inlet Planning Area: Mandates six lease sales in the Cook Inlet each of which shall include at least 1 million acres. Mandates that the revenues from leases authorized by the Act be split evenly between the state and the federal government until 2035, when the state would start receiving 90 percent.
• Ensures these sales supplement the 2024–2029 OCS Program, increasing revenue potential.
• Establishes a process for state Governors to nominate adjacent OCS areas for inclusion, potentially expanding leasable acreage.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $4.2 billion in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80172. OFFSHORE COMMINGLING.

• Requires the Secretary to approve downhole commingling applications from multiple reservoirs in a single wellbore in the Gulf of America OCS unless conclusive evidence shows the practice would be unsafe or reduce recovery.
• Increases federal revenue by boosting oil and gas production efficiency, resulting in additional royalty payments to the federal government.

SEC. 80173. LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTED QUALIFIED OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF REVENUES.

• Raises the cap on the distribution of OCS revenues from $500 million to $650 million for FY 2026 through FY 2035 under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA).
• CBO estimates this section will spend $1.2 billion over 10 years

PART IX – RENEWABLE ENERGY

SEC. 80181. RENEWABLE ENERGY FEES ON FEDERAL LANDS.

• Codifies annual acreage rent and capacity fees for wind and solar energy projects on federal lands.
• Removes the Secretary’s authority to reduce acreage rent and capacity fees.
• CBO estimates Sections 80181 and 80182 will generate up to $300 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80182. RENEWABLE ENERGY REVENUE SHARING.

• Creates a revenue sharing mechanism for renewable energy produced on public lands.
• Directs 25% to the state hosting the production, 25% to the county hosting production, and 50% to the Federal government, deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury.

Subtitle B—Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries

SEC. 80201. RESCISSION OF FUNDS FOR INVESTING IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

• Rescinds the remaining funds available for the ‘Investing in Coastal Communities and Climate Resilience’ section of the IRA.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $100 million in savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80202. RESCISSION OF FUNDS FOR FACILITIES OF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES.

• Rescinds the remaining funds available for the ‘Facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Sanctuaries’ section of the Inflation Reduction Act.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $29 million in savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80203. SURFACE WATER STORAGE ENHANCEMENT.

• Provides $2 billion for construction and associated activities that increase the capacity of existing Bureau of Reclamation surface water storage facilities.

SEC. 80204. WATER CONVEYANCE ENHANCEMENT.

• Provides $500 million for construction and associated activities that increase the capacity of existing Bureau of Reclamation conveyance facilities.

Subtitle C—Federal Lands

SEC. 80301. PROHIBITION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROCK SPRINGS FIELD OFFICE, WYOMING RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

• Prohibits the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from implementing, administering, or enforcing the Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Rock Springs Field Office in Wyoming, finalized by the Biden administration.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $200 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80302. PROHIBITION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BUFFALO, WYOMING FIELD OFFICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

• Prohibits the BLM from implementing, administering, or enforcing the Record of Decision and Approved RMP Amendment for the Buffalo Field Office in Wyoming, finalized by the Biden administration.
• CBO estimates Sections 80141, 80142, 80143, and 80302 will collectively generate up to $237 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80303. PROHIBITION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MILES CITY, MONTANA FIELD OFFICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

• Prohibits the BLM from implementing, administering, or enforcing the Record of Decision and Approved RMP Amendment for the Miles City Field Office in Montana, finalized by the Biden administration.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $15 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80304. PROHIBITION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NORTH DAKOTA RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

• Prohibits the BLM from implementing, administering, or enforcing the Record of Decision and Approved RMP for North Dakota, finalized by the Biden administration.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $5 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80305. PROHIBITION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY FIELD OFFICE AND GRAND JUNCTION FIELD OFFICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS.

• Prohibits the BLM from implementing, administering, or enforcing the Records of Decision and Approved RMPs for the Colorado River Valley Field Office and Grand Junction Field Office in Colorado, finalized by the Biden administration.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $80 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80306. RESCISSION OF FOREST SERVICE FUNDS.

• Rescinds the remaining funds made available to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in the IRA for the Biden administration’s Old-Growth Initiative.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $8 million in savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80307. RESCISSION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FUNDS.

• Rescinds the remaining funds made available to the National Park Service (NPS) and BLM in the IRA for a “conservation and resilience” fund.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $7 million in savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80308. RESCISSION OF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FUNDS.

• Rescinds the remaining funds made available to the NPS and the BLM in the IRA for a “conservation and ecosystem restoration” fund.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $5 million in savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80309. RESCISSION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FUNDS.

• Rescinds the remaining funds made available to the NPS in the IRA to hire new federal employees.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $267 million in savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80310. CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY.

• Provides $40 million to the Secretary of the Interior to establish and maintain a statuary park named the National Garden of American Heroes.
• Provides $150 million to the Secretary of the Interior for events, celebrations, and activities related to the 250th anniversary of America’s founding in 2026.

SEC. 80311. LONG-TERM CONTRACTS FOR THE FOREST SERVICE.

• On forests created from the public domain, requires the USFS to enter into at least one 20-year contract for timber harvesting per region annually for FY 2025 through FY 2029.
• Sets standard terms and conditions for the contract, including special provisions for cancellation ceilings.
• Requires all contract funds to be deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $110 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80312. LONG-TERM CONTRACTS FOR THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.

• Requires the BLM to enter into no less than one 20-year contract for timber harvesting annually between FY 2025 through FY 2029.
• Sets standard terms and conditions for the contract, including special provisions for cancellation ceilings.
• Requires all contract funds to be deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $40 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.

SEC. 80313. TIMBER PRODUCTION FOR THE FOREST SERVICE.

• Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, within 1 year of this section’s enactment, to authorize timber harvests on National Forest System lands that equal or exceed a volume 25 percent higher than the volume harvested during fiscal year 2024.
• Stipulates that such harvests must be in accordance with the allowable sale quantity or probable sale quantity of timber applicable to a certain area of federal lands.
• Specifies that this provision applies to forests created from the public domain and does not apply to wilderness areas, roadless areas, or areas where timber harvesting is prohibited by statute.

SEC. 80314. TIMBER PRODUCTION FOR THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.

• Directs the Secretary of the Interior, within 1 year of this section’s enactment, to authorize timber harvests on public lands under the jurisdiction of the BLM that equal or exceed a volume 25 percent higher than the volume harvested during fiscal year 2024.
• Stipulates that such harvests must be in accordance with the applicable RMP.
• Specifies that this provision does not apply to wilderness areas or areas where timber harvesting is prohibited by statute.
• CBO estimates this section will generate up to $8 million in new revenue and savings for the federal government.