,,ii #aad? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #efb ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #be1 #bjae ,mr4 ,hell] 7= himself & ,mr4 ,ris*7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces ,a ,,bill ,to promote exploration = geo!rmal res\rces1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,geo!rmal ,exploration ,opportunities ,act ( #bjae4 #b4 ,geo!rmal exploration te/ projects ,! ,geo!rmal ,/eam ,act ( #aigj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3 #cj4 ,geo!rmal exploration te/ projects 7a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,cov]$ l& ,! t]m cov]$ l& means l& t is-- 7,a7 7i7 public l& adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y2 or 7ii7 ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l& adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture2 & 7,b7 n exclud$ f ! developm5t ( geo!rmal en]gy "u-- 7i7 a f9al l& use plan e/abli%$ "u ! ,f$]al ,l& ,policy & ,managem5t ,act ( #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq472 7ii7 a f9al l& & res\rce managem5t plan e/abli%$ "u ! ,national ,=e/ ,managem5t ,act ( #aigf 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afjj et seq472 or 7iii7 any o!r applicable law4 7#b7 ,secret>y conc]n$ ,! t]m ,secret>y conc]n$ means-- 7,a7 ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture 7act+ ?r\gh ! ,*ief ( ! ,=e/ ,s]vice71 ) respect to ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&2 & 7,b7 ! ,secret>y1 ) respect to l& manag$ by ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t 7includ+ l& held = ! b5efit ( an ,indian tribe74 7b7 ,,nepa review ( geo!rmal exploration te/ projects 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,an eligible activity describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b7 c>ri$ out on cov]$ l& %all be consid]$ an action categorically exclud$ f ! requirem5ts = an environm5tal assessm5t or an environm5tal impact /atem5t "u ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 or section #aejh4d ( title #dj1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 7or a successor regulation7 if-- 7,a7 ! action is = ! purpose ( geo!rmal res\rce exploration op]ations2 & 7,b7 ! action is conduct$ pursuant to ?is ,act4 7#b7 ,eligible activity ,an eligible activity ref]r$ to 9 p>agraph 7#a7 is-- 7,a7 a geophysical exploration activity t does n require drill+1 includ+ a seismic survey2 7,b7 ! drill+ ( a well to te/ or explore = geo!rmal res\rces on l& leas$ by ! ,secret>y conc]n$ = ! developm5t & production ( geo!rmal res\rces t-- 7i7 is c>ri$ out by ! hold] ( ! lease2 7ii7 causes-- 7,i7 few] ?an #e acres ( soil or vegetation disruption at ! location ( ea* geo!rmal exploration well2 & 7,,ii7 n m ?an an additional #e acres ( soil or vegetation disruption dur+ access or egress to ! project site2 7iii7 is complet$ 9 few] ?an #ij days1 includ+ ! removal ( any surface infra/ructure f ! project site2 & 7iv7 requires ! re/oration ( ! project site n lat] ?an #c ye>s aft] ! date ( completion ( ! project to approximately ! condition t exi/$ at ! "t ! project began1 unless-- 7,i7 ! project site is subsequ5tly us$ z "p ( en]gy developm5t on ! lease2 or 7,,ii7 ! project-- 7aa7 yields geo!rmal res\rces2 & 7bb7 ! use ( ! geo!rmal res\rces w be c>ri$ out "u ano!r geo!rmal g5]ation project 9 exi/5ce at ! "t ( ! discov]y ( ! geo!rmal res\rces2 or 7,c7 ! drill+ ( a well to te/ or explore = geo!rmal res\rces on l& leas$ by ! ,secret>y conc]n$ = ! developm5t & production ( geo!rmal res\rces t-- 7i7 causes an individual surface di/urbance ( few] ?an #e acres if-- 7,i7 ! total surface di/urbance on ! leas$ l& is n m ?an #aej acres2 & 7,,ii7 a site-specific analysis has be5 prep>$ "u ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq472 7ii7 involves ! drill+ ( a geo!rmal well at a location or well pad site at :i* drill+ has occurr$ )9 #e ye>s be=e ! date ( spudd+ ! well2 or 7iii7 involves ! drill+ ( a geo!rmal well 9 a develop$ field = :i*-- 7,i7 an approv$ l& use plan or any environm5tal docum5t prep>$ "u ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 analyz$ ! drill+ z a reasonably =eseeable activity2 & 7,,ii7 ! l& use plan or environm5tal docum5t 0 approv$ )9 #aj ye>s be=e ! date ( spudd+ ! well4 7#c7 ,limitation bas$ on extraord9>y circum/ances ,! categorical exclusion e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all be subject to extraord9>y circum/ances 9 accordance ) ! ,dep>tm5tal ,manual1 #eaf ,,dm #b4c;,a7#c7 & #eaf ,,dm #b1 ,app5dix #b 7or successor provisions74 7c7 ,notice ( int5t2 review & det]m9ation 7#a7 ,requirem5t to provide notice ,n lat] ?an #cj days be=e ! date on :i* drill+ beg9s1 a leasehold] int5d+ to c>ry out an eligible activity %all provide notice to ! ,secret>y conc]n$4 7#b7 ,review ( project ,n lat] ?an #aj days aft] receipt ( a notice ( int5t provid$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y conc]n$ %all-- 7,a7 review ! project describ$ 9 ! notice & det]m9e :e!r ! project is an eligible activity2 & 7,b7 7i7 if ! project is an eligible activity1 notify ! leasehold] t "u subsection 7b71 ! project is consid]$ a categorical exclusion "u ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 & section #aejh4d ( title #dj1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 7or a successor regulation72 or 7ii7 if ! project is n an eligible activity-- 7,i7 notify ! leasehold] t section #ajb7b77;,c7 ( ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77;,c77 applies to ! project2 7,,ii7 include 9 t notification cle> & detail$ f9d+s on any defici5cies 9 ! project t prev5t ! application ( subsection 7b7 to ! project2 & 7,,iii7 provide an opportunity to ! leasehold] to rem$y ! defici5cies describ$ 9 ! notification be=e ! date on :i* ! leasehold] plans to beg9 ! project "u p>agraph 7#a74 4