,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #daa ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #i1 #bjae ,mr4 ,barrasso 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,heitkamp1 ,mr4 ,enzi1 and ,mr4 ,hoeven7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the approval of natural gas pipelines and establish deadlines and expedite permits for certain natural gas gathering lines on ,federal land and ,indian land4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,natural ,gas ,gathering ,enhancement ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 record volumes of natural gas production in the ,united ,states as of the date of enactment of this ,act are providing enormous benefits to the ,united ,states1 including by-- 7,a7 reducing the need for imports of natural gas1 thereby directly reducing the trade deficit2 7,b7 strengthening trade ties among the ,united ,states1 ,canada1 and ,mexico2 7,c7 providing the opportunity for the ,united ,states to join the emerging global gas trade through the export of liquefied natural gas2 7,d7 creating and supporting millions of new jobs across the ,united ,states2 7,e7 adding billions of dollars to the gross domestic product of the ,united ,states every year2 7,f7 generating additional ,federal1 ,state1 and local government tax revenues2 and 7,g7 revitalizing the manufacturing sector by-- 7i7 significantly increasing commercial demand for steel2 and 7ii7 providing abundant and affordable feedstock2 7#b7 natural gas is lost due to venting and flaring1 primarily in areas where natural gas infrastructure has not been developed quickly enough1 such as ,states with large quantities of ,federal land and ,indian land2 7#c7 permitting processes can hinder the development of natural gas infrastructure1 such as pipeline lines and gathering lines on ,federal land and ,indian land2 and 7#d7 additional authority for the ,secretary of the ,interior to approve natural gas pipelines and gathering lines on ,federal land and ,indian land would-- 7,a7 assist in bringing gas to market that would otherwise be vented or flared2 and 7,b7 significantly increase royalties collected by the ,secretary of the ,interior and disbursed to ,federal1 ,state1 and tribal governments and individual ,indians4 #c4 ,authority to approve natural gas pipelines ,section #ajjijb of title #ed1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#a7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking ,under regulations and inserting ,notwithstanding section #bh of the ,mineral ,leasing ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ahe71 under regulations2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking and at the end2 7,c7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7,d7 natural gas pipelines4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking and at the end2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,d7 natural gas pipelines4 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking ,a right of way under and inserting ,except as provided in paragraph 7#e71 a right-of-way granted under2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,right-of-way for natural gas pipelines ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#b71 a right-of-way granted under paragraph 7#a77;,d7 shall-- 7,a7 be for a term of not more than #cj years2 and 7,b7 not exceed #ej feet in width after construction of the natural gas pipeline4 4 #d4 ,certain natural gas gathering lines located on ,federal land and ,indian land 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,b of title ,,iii of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7,public ,law #aji-eh2 #aai ,stat4 #fhe7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #cai4 ,certain natural gas gathering lines located on ,federal land and ,indian land 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,gas gathering line and associated field compression unit 7,a7 ,in general ,the term gas gathering line and associated field compression unit means-- 7i7 a pipeline that is installed to transport natural gas production associated with #a or more wells drilled and completed to produce oil or gas2 and 7ii7 if necessary1 a compressor to raise the pressure of that transported natural gas to higher pressures suitable to enable the gas to flow into pipelines and other facilities4 7,b7 ,exclusions ,the term gas gathering line and associated field compression unit does not include a pipeline or compression unit that is installed to transport natural gas from a processing plant to a common carrier pipeline or facility4 7#b7 ,federal land 7,a7 ,in general ,the term ,federal land means land the title to which is held by the ,united ,states4 7,b7 ,exclusions ,the term ,federal land does not include-- 7i7 a unit of the ,national ,park ,system2 7ii7 a unit of the ,national ,wildlife ,refuge ,system2 7iii7 a component of the ,national ,wilderness ,preservation ,system2 or 7iv7 ,indian land4 7#c7 ,indian land ,the term ,indian land means land the title to which is held by-- 7,a7 the ,united ,states in trust for an ,indian tribe or an individual ,indian2 or 7,b7 an ,indian tribe or an individual ,indian subject to a restriction by the ,united ,states against alienation4 7b7 ,certain natural gas gathering lines 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 the issuance of a sundry notice or right-of-way for a gas gathering line and associated field compression unit that is located on ,federal land or ,indian land and that services any oil or gas well shall be considered to be an action that is categorically excluded 7as defined in section #aejh4d of title #dj1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on the date of enactment of this ,act77 for purposes of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 if the gas gathering line and associated field compression unit are-- 7,a7 within a field or unit for which an approved land use plan or an environmental document prepared pursuant to the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 analyzed transportation of natural gas produced from #a or more oil or gas wells in that field or unit as a reasonably foreseeable activity2 and 7,b7 located adjacent to or within-- 7i7 any existing disturbed area2 or 7ii7 an existing corridor for a right-of-way4 7#b7 ,applicability ,paragraph 7#a7 shall apply to ,indian land1 or a portion of ,indian land1 for which the ,indian tribe with jurisdiction over the ,indian land submits to the ,secretary of the ,interior a written request that paragraph 7#a7 apply to that ,indian land 7or portion of ,indian land74 7c7 ,effect on other law ,nothing in this section affects or alters any requirement-- 7#a7 relating to prior consent under-- 7,a7 section #b of the ,act of ,february #e1 #aidh 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #cbd72 or 7,b7 section #af7;e7 of the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dgf7;e77 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act72 7#b7 under section #ajf of the ,national ,historic ,preservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dgj;f72 or 7#c7 under any other ,federal law 7including regulations7 relating to tribal consent for rights-of-way across ,indian land4 4 7b7 ,assessments ,title ,,xviii of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7,public ,law #aji-eh2 #aai ,stat4 #aabb7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #ahda4 ,natural gas gathering system assessments 7a7 ,definition of gas gathering line and associated field compression unit ,in this section1 the term gas gathering line and associated field compression unit has the meaning given the term in section #cai4 7b7 ,study ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,natural ,gas ,gathering ,enhancement ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 in consultation with other appropriate ,federal agencies1 ,states1 and ,indian tribes1 shall submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives a study identifying-- 7#a7 any actions that may be taken1 under ,federal law 7including regulations71 to expedite permitting for gas gathering lines and associated field compression units that are located on ,federal land or ,indian land1 for the purpose of transporting natural gas associated with oil and gas production on any land to a processing plant or a common carrier pipeline for delivery to markets2 and 7#b7 any proposed changes to ,federal law 7including regulations7 to expedite permitting for gas gathering lines and associated field compression units that are located on ,federal land1 for the purpose of transporting natural gas associated with oil and gas production on any land to a processing plant or a common carrier pipeline for delivery to markets4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,natural ,gas ,gathering ,enhancement ,act1 and every #a year thereafter1 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 in consultation with other appropriate ,federal agencies1 ,states1 and ,indian tribes1 shall submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives a report that describes-- 7#a7 the progress made in expediting permits for gas gathering lines and associated field compression units that are located on ,federal land or ,indian land1 for the purpose of transporting natural gas associated with oil and gas production on any land to a processing plant or a common carrier pipeline for delivery to markets2 and 7#b7 any issues impeding that progress4 4 7c7 ,technical amendments 7#a7 ,section #a7;b7 of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7,public ,law #aji-eh2 #aai ,stat4 #eid7 is amended by adding at the end of subtitle ,b of title ,,iii the following3 ,sec4 #cai4 ,natural gas gathering lines located on ,federal land and ,indian land4 4 7#b7 ,section 7#a77;b7 of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7,public ,law #aji-eh2 #aai ,stat4 #eid7 is amended by adding at the end of title ,,xxviii the following3 ,sec4 #ahda4 ,natural gas gathering system assessments4 4 #e4 ,deadlines for permitting natural gas gathering lines under the ,mineral ,leasing ,act ,section #bh of the ,mineral ,leasing ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ahe7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7z7 ,natural gas gathering lines ,the ,secretary of the ,interior or other appropriate agency head shall issue a sundry notice or right-of-way for a gas gathering line and associated field compression unit 7as defined in section #cai7;a7 of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje7 that is located on ,federal land not later than #ij days after the date on which the applicable agency head receives the request for issuance unless the ,secretary or agency head finds that the sundry notice or right-of-way would violate the ,national ,historic ,preservation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #dgj et seq47 or the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq474 4