H.R. 1205: Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act

This bill revises requirements for oil and gas or geothermal drilling permits under the Mineral Leasing Act as well as the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from requiring an operator to obtain a federal drilling permit for oil, gas, or geothermal exploration and production activities conducted on a nonfederal surface estate if (1) the federal ownership interest is less than 50% of the subsurface mineral estate to be accessed by the proposed action; and (2) the operator submits to Interior a state permit to conduct such activities on the nonfederal surface estate.

Such activities are not considered to be a major federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and thus are not subject to environmental review requirements under NEPA. Further, such activities are not subject to requirements for federal actions under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.