A bill by Oklahoma Congresswoman Stephanie Bice to make some permitting changes for oil and gas development on federal lands was passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee this week.
Her H.R. 1555, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act would address duplicative federal permitting requirements for oil and natural gas development on lands where the federal government holds minority ownership.
In a statement from her office, the Republican Representative said is commonsense legislation that respects private mineral owners and supports American energy production.
“Right now, energy projects can be forced to go through both state and federal permitting processes even when the federal government owns less than half of the subsurface estate. The BLM Mineral Spacing Act would eliminate this duplicative process and allow these projects to move forward under applicable state and private requirements, while still protecting the federal government’s mineral interests and royalties.”
Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark) chairs the committee and supported the Bice bill, saying duplicative federal permitting requirements delay American energy production without improving oversight.
“H.R. 1555 allows operators with state-approved permits to move forward when the surface is nonfederal and less than half of the subsurface mineral estate is federally owned, establishing a more predictable process. I commend Rep. Bice for advancing a practical solution that respects state regulators, maintains federal accountability and supports President Trump’s commitment to American energy dominance,” said the Congressman.
The bill by Rep. Bice was one of 17 approved by the Committee during Tuesday’s markup of bills.
Background
H.R. 181, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), provides that artificially propagated animals shall be treated the same under that Act as naturally propagated animals.
H.R. 184, the Action Versus No Action Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), streamlines the number of alternatives analyzed for certain forest management projects to a proposed agency action and a no-action alternative. This legislation would expedite environmental reviews while emphasizing the consequences of inaction amid increasing wildfire risk.
H.R. 1555, the Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), amends the Mineral Leasing Act to streamline the oil and gas permitting process and recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units.
H.R. 5745, the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), formalizes and builds upon the Rigs to Reef initiative, which allows energy producers to convert inactive offshore energy infrastructure into artificial reefs. It establishes clear procedures and timelines to ensure a reliable permitting process and authorizes the Department of the Interior to designate Reef Planning Areas and approve eligible inactive structures for reefing in place, bolstering marine habitat and coastal communities.
H.R. 7954, the Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), directs the Secretary of the Interior to work alongside tribes and tribal organizations to support the restoration, management and conservation of buffalo and buffalo habitat on tribal lands. The legislation also authorizes agreements to transfer surplus buffalo from federal lands to Indian lands in support of tribal-led conservation efforts.
H.R. 8195, the Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), supports local fisheries by establishing regional management frameworks for overseeing the responsible taking of double-crested cormorants. These measures are intended to ensure effective, science-based management of the species.
H.R. 8483, the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), places approximately 1,362 acres of culturally significant land into trust for the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians while maintaining existing rights-of-way, permits and water rights.
H.R. 9621, the Northwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.), supports recovery efforts for endangered and threatened salmon species by amending the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow state and tribal fishery co-managers in the Pacific Northwest to adaptively manage pinnipeds within the ecosystem.
H.R. 9640, the Earth MRI Reauthorization Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), reauthorizes the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) through 2031. The bill expands the program’s scope to incorporate modern sensing technologies and to support the identification of critical mineral resources and other geologic data.
H.R. 9785, the South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies to determine the feasibility of constructing projects to supply municipal, rural and industrial water in certain parts of the Missouri River basin.
H.R. 10136, the Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026, introduced by Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), directs the transfer of the Crossett Experimental Forest to the State of Arkansas to continue its nearly century-long legacy of forestry research, education and demonstration in coordination with the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
H.R. 10306, the Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), authorizes deposit of specified interest payments into the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Water Rights Development Fund.
H.R. 4598, the Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (R-N.M.), makes technical corrections to the Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act.
H.R. 7254, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), amends the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Bay Area Ridge Trail as a National Scenic Trail.
H.R. 9269, the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), reauthorizes the African American Civil Rights Network for an additional 7 years.
H.R. 9600, the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), authorizes the Thomas Paine Memorial to be located within Area I on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
S. 675, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), honors the life and legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt by authorizing matching grants and assistance to support the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota.
