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Energy Permitting Certainty Act

H.R. 7293 · 117th Congress · Mar 30, 2022 · Lineage

A BILL

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to process applications for a permit to drill, and for other purposes.

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Energy Permitting Certainty Act”.

2. Processing applications for permits to drill

Section 17(p) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Effect of pending civil action on processing applications for permits to drill—Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (2), notwithstanding the existence of any pending civil actions which do not directly affect or involve the application or related lease, the Secretary shall process an application for a permit to drill under a valid existing lease, unless a United States Federal court has determined that the lease was not issued in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).”