S. 3239, The Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act

• This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.

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S. 3239 would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing new Federal oil and gas leases to holders of existing leases who do not diligently develop the land subject to the existing leases or relinquish the leases.

Detailed Summary

Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from authorizing any new lease for exploration or production of oil or natural gas unless the lessee: (1) certifies for each existing lease that the lessee has diligently developed the lands in order to produce oil or natural gas, or is producing oil or natural gas from such lands; or (2) has relinquished all federal oil and gas leases that are not being diligently developed.

Instructs the Secretary to promulgate diligent development regulations that: (1) include benchmarks for oil and gas development to ensure that leaseholders produce oil and gas from each lease within the original term of the lease; and (2) require each leaseholder to submit a diligent development plan showing how the lessee will meet the benchmarks.

Establishes a civil penalty for noncompliance with this Act.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 7/10/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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