H.R. 3062 – To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to…

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12 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

October 14, 2003

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 10, 2003

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

September 10, 2003

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Natural Resources Committee

September 24, 2003

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.

Natural Resources Committee

September 24, 2003

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-302.

Natural Resources Committee

October 7, 2003

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 178.

October 7, 2003

HouseFloor

Mr. Cannon moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

October 8, 2003 • 2:45 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9330-9331)

October 8, 2003 • 2:45 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3062.

October 8, 2003 • 2:45 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H9330)

October 8, 2003 • 2:49 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H9330)

October 8, 2003 • 2:49 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

October 8, 2003 • 2:49 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

October 14, 2003

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 3062 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3 · Oct 8, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3062) to amend the Mineral Leasing Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue separately, for the same area, a lease for…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3062) to amend the Mineral Leasing Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue separately, for the same area, a lease for tar sand and a lease for oil and gas, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on November 16, 1981, Congress passed the Combined Hydrocarbon Leasing Act. This act was in direct response to the energy crisis of the late 1970s and a policy of the Carter administration to promote alternative energy sources. This law has not only failed to accomplish its primary objective, which was to stimulate the development of tar sands as an alternative fuel to imported oil, it has restricted conventional oil and gas development in over a million acres of land that is highly productive. The vast majority of this land is located in the Uinta Basin in my State of Utah.

The reality is that extraction and processing of tar sands is an uneconomic venture in the United States. Even if these designated tar sands were designated for lease, the industry would be reluctant to acquire the leases since recovery and processing of the tar sands is so costly. Only one lease sale has occurred on the tar sands since 1981, totaling 1.34 percent of the lands. This fact clearly illustrates the shortcomings of the act.

The potential reserves of conventional natural gas and oil under the tar sands areas is huge. This is a tremendous resource that is not currently available to the citizens of Utah or to the citizens of the United States who, in the recent past have and in the near future, will suffer from extremely high natural gas prices to heat their homes during the coming winter months.

In addition to the valuable oil and gas resources that are being lost, the Federal Government and the citizens of Utah are losing hundreds of millions of dollars in potential royalty and tax revenues from producers who are willing to process the oil and gas deposits in the tar sands areas. The Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management would still administer these lands.

Producers attempting to lease these lands will be subject to every existing environmental stipulation as well as any new regulation that may be placed on these lands. Protections are already in place to prevent any degradation of existing wilderness areas and wilderness study areas.

The goal of my bill is to not circumvent or change any environmental regulations, but simply to make available for lease over 1 million acres of land that contain tremendous potential for natural gas and oil development by allowing the Secretary of the Interior to issue separately for the same area, a lease for tar sand and a lease for oil and gas development.

Action is in the public interest and would help increase the Nation's energy independence.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me just point out that in the spirit of comity and fair play, we appreciate the gentleman's statement. This initiative, I think, is well understood and well known, and I can assure the gentleman that all environmental concerns will be dealt with in the appropriate manner.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1 · Oct 8, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that, in effect, this bill…

Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3 · Oct 8, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bills H.R. 408, H.R. 3062, and

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued October 14, 2003

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3062 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

1st Session
H. R. 3062

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 14, 2003

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to issue separately, for the same area, a lease for tar sand
and a lease for oil and gas, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. COMBINED HYDROCARBON LEASING.

(a) Special Provisions Regarding Leasing.--Section 17(b)(2) of the
Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(2)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``(2)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) The Secretary may issue under this Act for the same area,
separately--
``(i) a lease for exploration for and extraction of tar
sand; and
``(ii) a lease for exploration for and development of oil
and gas.
``(C) A lease issued under subparagraph (B)(ii) shall not be
further subject to the Combined Hydrocarbon Leasing Act of 1981 (30
U.S.C. 181 et seq.).
``(D) A lease issued for tar sand shall be issued using the same
bidding process, annual rental, and posting period as a lease issued
for oil and gas, except that the minimum acceptable bid required for a
lease issued for tar sand shall be $2 per acre.
``(E) The Secretary may waive, suspend, or alter any requirement
under section 26 that a permittee under a permit authorizing
prospecting for tar sand must exercise due diligence, to promote any
resource covered by a combined hydrocarbon lease.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 17(b)(1)(B) of the Mineral
Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(1)(B)) is amended in the second sentence
by inserting ``, subject to paragraph (2)(B),'' after ``the
Secretary''.

SEC. 2. REGULATIONS.

Within 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of the Interior shall issue final regulations to implement
this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives October 8, 2003.

Attest:

JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue separately, for the same area, a lease for tar sand and a lease for oil and gas, and for other purposes.

Legislative Activity

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