The Providing Leasing Certainty for American Energy Act of 2012 would reform to the leasing process for onshore oil and natural gas projects on federal land in order to eliminate unnecessary government delays and hurdles, expand onshore energy production and create new American jobs.
Since taking office the Obama Administration has repeatedly hindered development on federal lands, preventing the production of our energy resources and blocking the creation of American jobs. Under the Obama Administration, 2010 had the LOWEST number of onshore leases issued since 1984.
Expands onshore energy production by requiring the Interior Secretary to conduct new lease sales in areas identified with the greatest energy potential.
In 2011, the Interior Department, in several states, only conducted lease sales on a small fraction of new land that was identified as having the greatest energy potential: 3 percent in Colorado, 8 percent in California, 7 percent in Utah and zero in Alaska and Arizona.
Provides certainty to American energy producers by prohibiting the Interior Secretary from taking away leases already sold, setting firm timelines for the Secretary to issue leases, and prohibiting the Secretary from changing the rules after the leases and contracts have been finalized.
Ensures that leasing on federal lands is not delayed while the federal government rewrites or adjusts local Resource Management Plans (RMP).
The RMP is used to guide all resource decisions in an area of federal lands. The development of RMPs often takes years of planning and public comment, which allows it to be used as a “de facto” excuse to block new American energy production.
