S.Amdt. 1512

SA 1512. Mr. HOEVEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 1407 proposed by Ms. Murkowski to the bill S. 2657, to
support innovation in advanced geothermal research and development, and
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of title II, add the following:

Subtitle D--Miscellaneous

SEC. 24___. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management
(referred to in this section as the ``Director''), shall
establish a pilot program in 1 State with at least 2,000 oil
and gas drilling spacing units (as defined under State law),
in which--
(1) 25 percent or less of the minerals are owned or held in
trust by the Federal Government; and
(2) there is no surface land owned or held in trust by the
Federal Government.
(b) Activities.--In carrying out the pilot program, the
Director shall identify and implement ways to streamline the
review and approval of Applications for Permits to Drill for
oil and gas drilling spacing units of the State in order to
achieve a processing time for those oil and gas drilling
spacing units similar to that of spacing units that require
an Application for Permit to Drill and are not part of the
pilot program in the same State.
(c) Funding.--Beginning in fiscal year 2021, and for a
period of 3 years thereafter, to carry out the pilot program
efficiently, the Director may fund up to 10 full-time
equivalents at appropriate field offices.
(d) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress
a report on the results of the pilot program.
(e) Waiver.--The Secretary of the Interior may waive the
requirement for an Application for Permit to Drill if the
Director determines that the mineral interest of the United
States in the spacing units in land covered by this section
is adequately protected, if otherwise in accordance with
applicable laws, regulations, and lease terms.
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