,i  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #eegf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #bf1        
#bjbe,mr4 ,ful*] introduc$ ! foll[+     
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,natural ,res\rces  ,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 projects  7a7 ,def9itions ,9
 ?is section3 7#a7 ,geo!rmal exploration
 project ,! t]m geo!rmal exploration    
project means ! drill+ ( a temp]ature   
gradi5t well1 monitor+ well1 calibration
 well1 or ano!r geo!rmal exploratory    
well1 includ+ con/ruction or mak+       
improvem5ts = su* activities1 on l&s =  
:i* ! ,secret>y has issu$ a geo!rmal    

lease--  7,a7 t is c>ri$ out by ! hold] 
( ! lease2  7,b7 = :i*--  7i7 ! la/     
cem5t$ cas+ /r+ has an out] diamet] (   
less ?an #acc_/h in*es2 &  7ii7 ! total 
unreclaim$ surface di/urbance at any "o 
"t )9 ! project area is less ?an #h     
acres1 n includ+ ! area ( a p]man5t or  
tempor>y access road2  7,c7 t is        
complet$ 9 less ?an #ahj days1 includ+ !
 removal ( any surface infra/ructure f !
 project area2 &  7,d7 t requires !     
re/oration ( ! project area )9 #c ye>s (
 ! date ( fir/ exploration drill+ to    
approximately ! condition t exi/$ at !  
"t ! project began1 unless ! project    
area is subsequ5tly us$ z "p ( en]gy    
developm5t "u ! lease4  7#b7 ,cov]$     
activity ,! t]m cov]$ activity includes1
 ) respect to exploration1 developm5t1  
or production 7includ+ direct use7 (    
geo!rmal res\rces-- 7,a7 geote*nical    
inve/igations2  7,b7 (f-road travel 9 a 
"r-(-way e/abli%$ by ,congress1 grant$  
by a ,f$]al ag5cy1 or includ$ 9 a l& use
 plan2 &  7,c7 con/ruction1 ma9t5ance1  

realignm5t1 & repair ( an exi/+ p]man5t 
or tempor>y access road )9 a "r-(-way   
e/abli%$ by ,congress1 grant$ by a      
,f$]al ag5cy1 or includ$ 9 a l& use     
plan4  7b7 ,non-,major ,f$]al action    
,geo!rmal exploration projects & cov]$  
activities %all n be consid]$ major     
,f$]al actions "u section #ajb7b77;,c7 (
 ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act 
( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77;,c774  
7c7 ,requirem5t ,to provide notice ,!   
hold] ( a geo!rmal lease %all provide to
 ! ,secret>y notice ( _! int5t to c>ry  
out a geo!rmal exploration project at   
lea/ #cj days be=e ! />t ( drill+ "u !  
project4  4  #c4 ,geo!rmal leas+        
priority areas ,! ,geo!rmal ,/eam ,act (
 #aigj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 is 
fur!r am5d$ 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 #c  
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 ( su* section4  7d7  
,review & modification ,n less frequ5tly

 ?an once e #e 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 ,n  
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 7b7 %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
 ! designation ( a geo!rmal leas+       
priority area has be5 analyz$ by a      
programmatic environm5tal docum5t-- 7#a7
 dur+ ! p]iod ( #aj ye>s t beg9s on !   
date su* programmatic environm5tal      
docum5t is issu$1 ! ,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 area unless !   
,secret>y det]m9es !re are sub/antial   
new circum/ances or in=mation ab\t !    

significance ( adv]se effects t be> on !
 analysis2 &  7#b7 aft] su* p]iod ( #aj 
ye>s1 ! ,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 area if ! ,secret>y      
reevaluates ! analysis 9 ! programmatic 
environm5tal docum5t & any und]ly+      
assumption to ensure reliance on !      
analysis rema9s valid4  4  #d4 ,f9d+s   
,congress f9ds t--  7#a7 pursuant to    
section #aji ( ! ,national ,environm5tal
 ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4    
#dccf;c71 z am5d$ by section #cba7;b7 ( 
! ,fiscal ,responsibility ,act ( #bjbc  
7,public ,law #aah-e71 ! ,bureau ( ,l&  
,managem5t ann\nc$ on ,april #ae1 #bjbd1
 x _h adopt$ categorical exclusions f ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ! ,navy & ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
,=e/ ,s]vice = geo!rmal exploration2 &  
7#b7 if appropriately us$1 ^!           
categorical exclusions are expect$ to   
exp$ite ! review & approval ( geo!rmal  

exploration proposals on ,bureau ( ,l&  
,managem5t l&s4