By Congresswoman Lauren Boebert – February 22, 2023
| Congresswoman Lauren Boebert introduced the American Energy Act to cut red tape to unleash American energy, streamline the energy permitting process, reduce gas prices, and eliminate frivolous lawsuits threatening American energy independence. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, “The Biden administration is colluding with Green New Deal extremists to slow down energy leasing, clog up the bureaucratic pipeline, and threaten American energy producers with frivolous lawsuits. My American Energy Act cuts red tape to unleash American energy by extending the term of APDs from two years to four years to reduce unnecessary paperwork, ensuring agencies process permits under a valid existing lease regardless of any unrelated civil action, and by prohibiting activist judges from unilaterally vacating valid energy leases. In short, H.R. 1067 will help reduce gas prices by providing certainty for responsible energy production and preventing baseless litigation. With the price at the pump skyrocketing and the international energy market destabilizing, the world needs American energy now more than ever.” House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands Chairman Congressman Tom Tiffany said, “For over two years, the Biden administration has slow-walked oil and gas permits, ultimately driving up energy costs for the American people. It doesn’t have to be this way, and I thank Congresswoman Boebert for leading legislation to speed up the permitting process from frivolous lawsuits.” Congressman Andy Ogles said, “The Biden Administration’s anti-America agenda is on full display, especially in the energy industry. The rapid and massive decline in the approval of drilling permits by Biden’s Department of the Interior is a clear demonstration of its opposition to American oil and gas production. Congresswoman Boebert’s American Energy Act would create a more efficient approval process for drilling permits and prevent radical Green New Deal judges from inserting their personal politics into our nation’s critical energy infrastructure.” Congressman Troy Nehls said, “It’s time to unleash America’s energy and mineral power. The fact that the APD’s backlog is at 5,000 is ridiculous and makes no sense. We must stop the Biden Administration’s agenda that puts the American people and affordable energy last. I’m proud to join Congresswoman Boebert on this important issue.” Congresswoman Harriet Hageman stated, “Since day one of his Presidency, Biden has been at war with American energy production. The policies of his administration have taken our country from energy dominance to energy dependence in just two years – an absolutely crushing blow to hard working citizens in Wyoming and around the nation. Congress must do everything it can to take back control from the Executive branch, administrative state, and activist courts. The American Energy act will ensure faster permitting and a common sense process for dealing with frivolous litigation in a timely manner.” Congressman Paul Gosar said, “Joe Biden has purposely sabotaged domestic oil production by slow-walking drilling permits with endless red tape and frivolous legal disputes that are hurting every American. I am proud to support this common-sense legislation to halt these delays and put America back on a track towards energy independence.” Congressman Barry Moore stated, “Joe Biden’s energy policy has been to kill the Keystone XL Pipeline, approve the Russian Nord Stream 2 Pipeline, beg OPEC to drill more, and buy our solar panels from China. Biden must be held accountable for his hostility to American energy and jobs, and Rep. Boebert’s bill to end Biden’s stonewalling of domestic drilling applications is a great step.” Ryan Walker, Vice President of Government Relations of Heritage Action, said, “A reliable and timely permitting process is critical to maintaining America’s energy dominance. Congresswoman Boebert’s bill will restore certainty in the permitting process and unleash American energy exploration and production. We encourage all members to hold the Biden administration accountable for impeding American oil and gas production by supporting H.R. 1067, the American Energy Act.” Richard Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government, stated, “President Joe Biden urged energy companies to reinvest in new oil production and refining in his State of the Union address. Rep. Lauren Boebert has introduced legislation which will help accomplish his newfound interest in increased domestic oil and natural gas production. Boebert’s bill would increase federal government approvals of applications to drill and extend the time approved applications are valid from two to four years. Rep. Boebert is reaching across the partisan divide to give the President basic common sense legislation that he should be able to support in his recent quest for more oil and natural gas domestic development. Let’s see if Joe was just blowing smoke or if he has finally come to the realization that dependency on countries that may not like us very much for oil and natural gas is dangerous both economically and for our national security.” Kathleen Sgamma, President of Western Energy Alliance, stated, “Western Energy Alliance strongly supports Rep. Boebert’s bill to add certainty to the federal oil and natural gas permitting process. The West Slope of Colorado is held back economically because of uncertainty on federal lands, which make up the majority of production in her district. The Biden Administration has been increasing that uncertainty by threatening to cancel permits after only two years. In addition, environmental groups litigate any leases sold in an attempt to convince judges to cancel them on the basis of incomplete NEPA. Congress intended that NEPA analysis ensure federal projects consider and mitigate environmental impacts, not be used as a weapon to stop energy production. By clarifying that courts can order more NEPA analysis but not turn NEPA into a means to cancel leases and other energy projects, the bill will return NEPA to its original intent.” Chelsie Miera, Executive Director of the West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association, stated, “The West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association supports Rep. Boebert’s American Energy Act since it will cut bureaucratic red tape and allow American energy producers to do what they do better and safer here than anywhere else in the world: keep the lights on and keep our economy running.” Tim Stewart, President of U.S. Oil and Gas Association, said, “The federal leasing and permitting process under this Administration has gone completely off the rails. Leases and permits remain tied up in courts while valuable federal mineral assets that exist for the sole purpose of use by the American people remain unavailable. Representative Boebert’s legislation provides the much needed degree of certainty energy producers need to be able to develop these assets on behalf of the American people.” Carla J. Sonntag, President & Founder of New Mexico Business Coalition, stated, “New Mexico Business Coalition represents hundreds of businesses and thousands of New Mexicans who strongly support H.R. 1067 the American Energy Act. As the second largest oil producer in the nation, New Mexico’s state budget relies heavily on tax and royalty revenue from our oil and gas industry. Funding for education and other key programs in our state is adversely impacted by overzealous regulations and government red tape that hampers timely approval of extractive industry drilling permits. Likewise, there has been an onslaught of environmental groups filing frivolous lawsuits specifically designed to slow or halt extractive energy operations. The result has been that drilling permit approvals by the Bureau of Land Management have dropped almost in half over the past two years. The American Energy Act sponsored by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert would bring much needed time line requirements to the permitting process and address civil litigation problems, ultimately moving our nation back towards energy independence.” Earl Taylor, Executive Manager of OQ Resources, said, “I support this bill, H.R. 1067, as the upfront costs of developing energy independence will cost the consumer in the long run. The government needs to have a smooth flow of applications so that companies developing energy resources can plan on the investment in the economy.” |
Background:
The Biden administration has intentionally delayed processing responsible energy permit applications to halt American energy production. Under the Trump administration, drilling permit review times averaged 94 days in June 2019. Under the Biden administration, the wait time has nearly doubled with drilling permit reviews averaging 182 days in Fiscal Year 2021.
Under the Trump administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved nearly 400 drilling permits monthly in Fiscal Year 2020. The permitting process has been severely slowed down under the Biden administration, with the Bureau of Land Management approving only an average of 233 drilling permits per month in Fiscal Year 2022. This has created an unmanageable backlog, and as of September 30, 2022, a total of 4,609 Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs) were still pending Bureau of Land Management approval.
The Biden administration is also colluding with activist environmentalist groups to hold up APDs in frivolous litigation. A recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit unilaterally halted all APDs in the region. The slough of frivolous litigation has threatened nearly 6,000 energy leases.
Congresswoman Boebert’s American Energy Act will help reduce the backlog at the Bureau of Land Management by extending the length of drill permits from two years to four years. By extending the length of drill permits, energy producers will be able to spend more time producing American energy and less time jumping through bureaucratic hoops. Additionally, extending the length of drill permits will reduce the number of reapplications, reducing the burden on the Bureau of Land Management. Ultimately, this will alleviate the unacceptable backlog and streamline permitting reviews.
Congresswoman Boebert’s American Energy Act also fixes the problem caused by activist judges and environmentalist litigants by reducing the power of judges to unilaterally vacate an energy lease that was approved by the Bureau of Land Management.
Groups supporting Rep. Lauren Boebert’s American Energy Act include: Heritage Action, Americans for Limited Government, Colorado Oil & Gas Association, Western Energy Alliance, West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association, US Oil and Gas Association, Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico, EnerGeo Alliance, and New Mexico Oil & Gas Association.
Cosponsors of Rep. Lauren Boebert’s American Energy Act include: Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Rep. Eric Burlison (MO-07), Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02), Rep. Troy Nehls (TX-22), Rep. Andy Ogles (TN-05), Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-08), Rep. Ben Cline (VA-06), Chip Roy (TX-21), and Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI-07).
The full text of Rep. Lauren Boebert’s American Energy Act is available here.
