,,ii #aag? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #bhbd ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,septemb] #bc1 #bjba,mr4 ,ris* introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,environm5t & ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to am5d ! ,geo!rmal ,/eam ,act ( #aigj to promote timely exploration = geo!rmal res\rces "u geo!rmal leases1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,enhanc+ ,geo!rmal ,production on ,f$]al ,l&s ,act4 #b4 ,geo!rmal production on ,f$]al l&s ,! ,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 ,def9ition ( geo!rmal exploration te/ project ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m geo!rmal exploration te/ project means ! drill+ ( a well to te/ or explore = geo!rmal res\rces on l&s = :i* ! ,secret>y has issu$ a lease "u ?is ,act1 t-- 7#a7 is c>ri$ out by ! hold] ( ! lease2 7#b7 causes-- 7,a7 less ?an #e acres ( soil or vegetation disruption at ! location ( ea* geo!rmal exploration well2 & 7,b7 n m ?an an additional #e acres ( soil or vegetation disruption dur+ access or egress to ! te/ site2 7#c7 is develop$-- 7,a7 less ?an #ab in*es 9 diamet]2 7,b7 9 a mann] t does n require (f-road motoriz$ access o!r ?an to & f ! well site along an id5tifi$ (f-road r\te2 7,c7 )\t con/ruction ( new roads o!r ?an upgrad+ ( exi/+ dra9age cross+s = safety purposes2 7,d7 ) ! use ( rubb]-tir$ digg+ or drill+ equipm5t vehicles2 & 7,e7 )\t ! use ( high-pressure well /imulation2 7#d7 is complet$ 9 less ?an #ij days1 includ+ ! removal ( any surface infra/ructure f ! site2 & 7#e7 requires ! re/oration ( ! project site )9 #c ye>s ( ! date ( fir/ exploration drill+ to approximately ! condition t exi/$ at ! "t ! project began1 unless ! site is subsequ5tly us$ z "p ( en]gy developm5t "u ! lease4 7b7 ,categorical exclusion 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,unless extraord9>y circum/ances exi/1 a project t ! ,secret>y det]m9es "u subsection 7c7 is a geo!rmal exploration te/ project %all be 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 #aeja4d ( title #dj1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 7or a successor regulation74 7#b7 ,extraord9>y circum/ances def9ition ,9 ?is subsection1 ! t]m extraord9>y circum/ances has ! same mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,int]ior ,dep>tm5tal ,manual1 #eaf ,,dm #b4c;,a7#c7 & #eaf ,,dm #b1 ,app5dix #b 7or successor provisions74 7c7 ,process 7#a7 ,requirem5t to provide notice ,a leasehold] %all provide notice to ! ,secret>y ( ! leasehold]'s int5t to c>ry out a geo!rmal exploration te/ project at lea/ #cj days be=e ! />t ( drill+ "u ! project4 7#b7 ,review & det]m9ation ,n lat] ?an #aj days aft] receipt ( a notice ( int5t "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all1 ) respect to ! project describ$ 9 ! notice ( int5t-- 7,a7 det]m9e if ! project qualifies = a categorical exclusion "u subsection 7b72 & 7,b7 notify ! leasehold] ( su* det]m9ation4 7#c7 ,opportunity to rem$y ,if ! ,secret>y det]m9es "u p>agraph 7#b77;,a7 t ! project does n qualify = a categorical exclusion "u subsection 7b71 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 include 9 su* notice cle> & detail$ f9d+s on any defici5cies 9 ! project t result$ 9 su* det]m9ation2 & 7,b7 all[ ! leasehold] to rem$y any su* defici5cies & resubmit ! notice ( int5t "u p>agraph 7#a74 4 #c4 ,geo!rmal leas+ priority areas ,! ,geo!rmal ,/eam ,act ( #aigj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 is fur!r am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3 #ca4 ,geo!rmal leas+ priority areas 7a7 ,def9ition ( cov]$ l& ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m cov]$ l& means l& t is-- 7#a7 ,f$]al l&2 & 7#b7 n exclud$ f ! developm5t ( geo!rmal en]gy "u-- 7,a7 a l& use plan e/abli%$ "u ! ,f$]al ,l& ,policy & ,managem5t ,act ( #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq472 or 7,b7 any o!r ,f$]al law4 7b7 ,designation ( geo!rmal leas+ priority areas ,! ,secret>y1 9 consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,en]gy1 %all designate portions ( cov]$ l& z geo!rmal leas+ priority areas z soon z practicable1 b n lat] ?an #e ye>s1 aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is section4 7c7 ,crit]ia = selection ,9 det]m9+ :i* cov]$ l&s to designate z geo!rmal leas+ priority areas "u subsection 7b71 ! ,secret>y1 9 consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,en]gy1 %all consid] if-- 7#a7 ! cov]$ l& is pref]able = geo!rmal leas+2 7#b7 production ( geo!rmal en]gy on su* l& is economically viable1 includ+ if su* l& has access to me?ods ( en]gy transmission2 & 7#c7 ! designation w\ld be 9 compliance ) section #bjb ( ! ,f$]al ,l& ,policy & ,managem5t ,act ( #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agab71 includ+ subsection 7c77#i7 ( t section4 7d7 ,review & modification ,n less frequ5tly ?an once e #aj ye>s1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 review cov]$ l& &1 if appropriate1 make additional designations ( geo!rmal leas+ priority areas2 & 7#b7 review ea* area designat$ z a geo!rmal leas+ priority area "u ?is section1 &1 if appropriate1 remove su* designation4 7e7 ,programmatic environm5tal impact /atem5t 7#a7 ,initial designations ,no lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! initial designation ( a geo!rmal leas+ priority area1 ! ,secret>y %all prep>e a supplem5t to any f9al programmatic environm5tal impact /atem5t = geo!rmal leas+ t is ! mo/ rec5tly f9aliz$ su* /atem5t ) respect to cov]$ l& designat$ z a geo!rmal leas+ priority area "u subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,subsequ5t designations ,ea* designation ( a geo!rmal leas+ priority area "u subsection 7d7 %all be includ$ 9 a programmatic environm5tal impact /atem5t = geo!rmal leas+ or 9 a supplem5t to su* a /atem5t4 7#c7 ,consultations ,9 develop+ any programmatic environm5tal impact /atem5t = geo!rmal leas+ or supplem5t to su* a /atem5t "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all consult1 on an ongo+ basis1 ) appropriate ,/ate1 ,tribal1 & local gov]nm5ts1 transmission infra/ructure own]s & op]ators1 develop]s1 & o!r appropriate entities4 7#d7 ,proc$ure ,! ,secret>y may n delay issu+ a p]mit or hold+ a lease sale "u ?is ,act because ! supplem5t requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 has n be5 f9aliz$ by ! ,secret>y4 7f7 ,compliance ) ,,nepa ,if ! ,secret>y det]m9es t ! designation ( a geo!rmal leas+ priority area has be5 suffici5tly analyz$ by a programmatic environm5tal impact /atem5t1 ! ,secret>y %all n prep>e any additional analysis "u ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 ) respect to geo!rmal lease sales = su* geo!rmal leas+ priority area4 4