Onshore

The “Opportunities for the Nation and States to Harness Onshore Resources Act” or the “ONSHORE Act,” provides regulatory certainty and streamlines the permitting process to make federal lands a competitive and attractive place to develop energy resources. Cumbersome and unpredictable permitting processes currently discourage development on federal lands. Despite lower royalty rates on federal lands, producers often opt to develop on state and private lands. The ONSHORE Act allows states with established regulatory programs to seek primacy for the implementation of federal permitting responsibilities for oil and gas development on federal lands. 

These onshore provisions will replicate the boom experienced by state and private lands on our resource-rich federal lands. In Fiscal Year 2016, the Bureau of Land Management managed the lowest number of onshore oil and gas leases since they started collecting data three decades ago. Despite managing about 700 million acres of land, leases only covered less than four percent of the enormous federal estate or about 27 million acres. These much-needed reforms will encourage oil and gas development on federal land and promote economic development and diversification in energy producing States across the West. 

Offshore

The “Accessing Strategic Resources Offshore Act” or “ASTRO Act,” provides certainty and reliability in our federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) resource management. It increases access to America’s OCS lands and establishes a revenue sharing framework for Mid and Southern Atlantic coastal states. Under the previous administration, 94% of America’s OCS lands were off limits to development through both the Five Year Plan process and unilateral withdrawal of acreage. Oil and gas revenues provide the second It also prohibits the enforcement of the Arctic Rule. 

Committee Action

June 29, 2017: Oversight Hearing "Examining Access to Oil and Gas Development on Federal Lands"

• Panel: Regulatory Uncertainty, Red Tape Discourages Responsible Energy Development

July 12, 2017: Oversight Hearing "Evaluating Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Development on the Outer Continental Shelf"

• Panel: Expanding Offshore Access a Boon for Coastal Communities, Integral to Future Energy Security

July 18, 2017: Oversight Hearing "Promoting Onshore Oil and Gas Development in Alaska"

• Committee Reviews Economic Ripple Effect of Greater Alaska Oil and Gas Development

September 6, 2017: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2661, "State Mineral Revenue Protection Act," H.R. 2907, "Planning for American Energy Act of 2017," and H.R. 3565, "Federal Land Freedom Act"

• Subcommittee Begins Comprehensive Onshore Federal Lands Energy Policy Overhaul with Review of Targeted Reform Measures

October 11, 2017: Legislative Hearing on Discussion Draft of the "Accessing Strategic Resources Offshore Act"

• Offshore Energy Bill Gains Support as Subcommittee Continues Broad Overhaul of Federal Lands Energy Policy

October 13, 2017: Legislative Hearing on Discussion Draft of the "Opportunities for the Nation and States to Harness Onshore Resources Act"

• Onshore Energy Bill Draws Praise as Subcommittee Continues Broad Overhaul of Federal Lands Energy Policy