Sw Louisiana News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) introduced the Federal Lands and Waters Leasing Transparency Act, aimed at holding energy regulators accountable and streamlining the federal leasing process for lands and waters.

In recent years, the oil and gas industry has faced significant challenges regarding the leasing process managed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Current evaluation methods by BOEM are considered problematic because they do not accurately reflect the true market value of resources. This has led to frequent rejections of industry bids with little explanation, causing uncertainty and discouraging investment in new energy exploration and production.

The legislation would:

- Require the Secretary of Interior to provide detailed reports to bidders if their bids are rejected, ensuring transparency by explaining how the bid compares to various valuation metrics;

- Amend the Mineral Leasing Act to prevent court orders from delaying the issuance of onshore oil and gas leases unless said lease violates federal law, thereby streamlining the leasing process;

- Ensure that civil actions challenging offshore lease sales do not invalidate the leases or delay related approvals and applications.

“The Biden-Harris weaponization of the federal bureaucracy against America’s oil and gas industry is yet another failed Bidenomics policy which negatively impacts American families’ jobs and financial outlook. The oil and gas industry is vital and supports economic prosperity in Louisiana and across the country. The Biden-Harris administration’s anti-American energy leasing plan destroys American jobs, brings higher energy costs, and undermines our national security interests. This legislation is vital in encouraging growth and creating new jobs while making our nation less reliant on foreign oil,” said Congressman Higgins.

Rep. Hageman stated, “In passing the Federal Lands and Waters Leasing Transparency Act, Congress can restore certainty and accountability in the oil and gas leasing process. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the lease approval process has changed to see more fees, stricter regulations, lawfare, and ambiguity. The Biden-Harris administration is doing everything in its power to eliminate fossil fuels and force energy policies on us that will drive up costs, reduce dependability, and decrease our national security. I thank Congressman Higgins for joining me in taking action to improve the leasing process for the oil and gas industry.”

The bill has garnered widespread support from industry leaders including the American Petroleum Institute, National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA), and Western Energy Alliance.

“Energy development on federal lands and waters is critical not only for meeting current and future energy demand but also for supporting American jobs, driving state and local economies, generating key funding for conservation programs,” Amanda Eversole from API stated. “We commend Rep. Higgins for his commitment to strengthening America’s energy advantage.”

“We support Congressman Higgins’ Federal Lands & Waters Leasing Transparency Act,” said NOIA President Erick Milito. “By preventing invalidation of leases due to arbitrary civil challenges...these reforms will benefit both energy workers & consumers.”

“Western Energy Alliance is in court defending 5,900 leases being litigated by anti-development groups... We appreciate certainty provided by Representatives Higgins & Hageman’s bill,” said Western Energy Alliance President Kathleen Sgamma.