Nov 28, 2013
Before going home for Thanksgiving, the House passed three bills designed to fast-track permits for oil and natural gas drilling. This episode highlights the Congressmen who pushed these bills through the House.
Bill Summaries
H.R. 1965: "The Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act of 2013" passed the House of Representatives 228-192 on Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
H.R. 1965 will not become law; President Obama would veto the
bill.
TITLE I, Subtitle A: Speeds Up Oil and Gas Permitting ("Streamlining Permitting of American Energy Act of 2013") Introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
The government will have 30 days to decide on a drilling permit:
If the government does not decide whether or not to issue
a drilling permit in 60 days, the permit is automatically approved:
It will cost $5,000 to challenge a drilling permit in
court:
Lawsuits that challenge a drilling permit must be filed
within 90 days:
If a citizen wins a lawsuit challenging a drilling permit,
they cannot be reimbursed for their attorney's fees and court
costs:
American taxpayers will pay $50 million to map our oil
and gas resources for the fossil fuel companies:
TITLE I, Subtitle B: Hand Our Land to Fossil Fuel Companies ("Providing Leasing Certainty for American Energy Act of 2013") Introduced by Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-6)
Every year, we must lease at least 25% of our available
land; these leases cannot be challenged in court: Once we lease the land to the energy companies, we can't
change our minds:
Protests against lease sales that are not settled in 60
days are automatically denied:
The Bureau of Land Management Instruction Memorandum
2010-117 - a process that examines environmental concerns and
involves the public in oil and gas leasing decisions - will have
"no force or effect".
TITLE I, Subtitle C: Bring Back Bush Administration Regulations for Oil Shale Development ("Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act" or the "PIONEERS Act") Introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
Oil Shale is a technology - that still doesn't work - which
involves melting rocks to access the oil inside of them:
Regulations for oil
shale will return to the regulations issued by the George W. Bush
administration:
The Bush administration regulations - would would come
back - require fewer environmental studies and allows oil companies
decide which new regulations to obey:
We would
have to lease at least 125,000 additional acres to the oil
companies for oil shale experimentation:
TITLE III: "The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act" Introduced by Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-4)
The national policy of the United States will be to drill, baby,
drill in Alaska; we must give the oil companies at least 10 leases
by 2023: We will throw out a completed Environmental Impact
Statement and replace it with one designed to "promote efficient
and maximum development of oil and natural gas resources" of the
Alaska Petroleum Reserve:
TITLE V: Prevent Native American Anti-Drilling Lawsuits ("Native American Energy Act") Introduced by Rep. Don Young (Alaska)
Appraisals that determine the market value of Native American
land will be automatically approved after 60 days: Environmental reviews of projects on Native American lands
will not be available to the public; only Native Americans and
local residents can get access:
Native Americans can not file a lawsuit against a
drilling lease after 60 days; they cannot file lawsuits locally,
only in Washington D.C.:
If Native
Americans win a lawsuit against the United State government
challenging a drilling decision, they cannot be paid for their
court costs:
If Native Americans lose a lawsuit against a drilling
lease, they must pay the oil companies' court costs:
Current law says the Secretary of the Interior needs to
approve drilling projects on Navajo Nation land; Section 5008
reverses the law and extends the length of drilling leases by
making the following edits:
(e) Leases of restricted lands for the Navajo Nation (1) Any leases by the Navajo Nation for purposes authorized under subsection (a) of this section, and any amendments thereto,except a lease forincluding leases for the exploration, development, or extraction of any mineral resources, shall not require the approval of the Secretary if the lease is executed under the tribal regulations approved by the Secretary under this subsection and the term of the lease does not exceed - (A) in the case of a business or agricultural lease,2599 years,except that any such lease may include an option to renew for up to two additional terms, each of which may not exceed 25 years;...
Federal regulations governing fracking will not automatically
apply to Native American land:
H.R. 2728: "Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act" passed the House of Representatives 235-187 on Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
H.R. 2728 will not become law, President Obama would veto the
bill.
TITLE I: Only States Can Regulate Fracking Introduced by Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17)
If a State has any regulations in place, the Federal government cannot enforce any additional regulations:
The Federal government can't enforce fracking regulations
on land held in trust for Indians:
The government would create a rigged study that examines
only the benefits of fracking (added by amendment):
TITLE II: "EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Improvement
Act" Introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith
(TX-21)
Adds extra work to Environmental Protection Agency studies of fracking chemicals in drinking water by requiring the studies to be peer reviewed and held to a higher standard:
EPA studies on fracking
chemicals in drinking water need to point out their own
weaknesses:
H.R. 1900: "Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act" Introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-4) passed the House of Representatives 252-165 on Thursday, November 21, 2013.
H.R. 1900 will not become law; President Obama would veto the
bill.
Permits for natural gas pipelines must be decided in under 1 year:
Agencies responsible for determining if a natural gas
pipeline is in the public interest will have 90 days to decide
after the environmental review is complete:
If the agency does not decide within 90 days, the permit
will be automatically issued on the 120th day:
Representatives Discussed in This
Episode
Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
Rep. Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)
Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-6)
Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-4)
Rep. Don Young (Alaska)
Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17)
Rep. Lamar Smith (TX-21)
Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-4)
Representatives Quoted in This Episode
Music
Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)
Music by David Holmes and Andrew Bean Vocals and Lyrics by David Holmes and Niel Bekker Animation by Adam Sakellarides and Lisa Rucker
Which Side Are You On by Pete Seeger
Additional Information
As Environmentalists Walk Out of UN Talks, Top US Envoy Says No to Reparations for Climate Damage, Democracy Now!, November 22, 2013.
Exemption for hydraulic fracturing under United States Federal law, Wikipedia
CBO: H.R. 1965 would bring in $325 million over 10 years in revenue.
CBS local video: San Bruno Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion, September 10, 2010.