House Republicans introduced legislation Wednesday that would boost energy production by giving states authority over new fossil fuel projects and exempting them from federal environmental laws, according to bill text shared with The Washington Times.
The proposal, spearheaded by Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, is unlikely to become law with Democrats controlling the Senate and the White House. But the legislation underscores the sort of energy policies that Republicans will advocate for when they take control of the House in January.
The summary of the bill’s purpose says it is to “achieve domestic energy independence by empowering States to control the development and production of all forms of energy on all available Federal land.”
Original cosponsors include Reps. Paul Gosar of Arizona; Chris Stewart of Utah, chairman of the Conservative Climate Caucus; Dan Newhouse of Washington; and Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma.
The bill is modeled on one that Sen. James Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican, has championed for years.
States would develop their own regulatory programs for leasing and permitting for oil and natural gas extraction on federal land, excluding American Indian lands, national parks, units of the National Wildlife Refuge System and congressionally designated wilderness areas.
None of the leasing and permitting actions would be subject to judicial review, precluding court challenges by green groups that have halted new fossil fuel projects.
States also would not be subject to core environmental laws that the industry and Republicans say hinder oil and natural gas production, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Administrative Procedures Act.
The current royalty share between the states and the federal government under the Mineral Leasing Act would remain largely unchanged: State and federal governments roughly split the billions of dollars in royalties that are generated each year from onshore drilling.
However, fossil fuel producers would pay the total royalties to the states, which then would send the federal government its share, reversing the current flow of cash.
In April, the Biden administration increased oil royalty rates for drilling on federal lands by 50%, from 12.5% to 18.75%, while scaling back the number of new lease sales, prompting outrage from the left and the right.
Climate hawks accused the president of walking back a campaign promise to end new sales and kowtowing to exorbitant gasoline prices, while the energy sector and conservatives bashed him for raising royalties and limiting new sales.
President Biden has accused Big Oil of “price gouging” in touting his clean energy agenda. However, he also has called on producers to ramp up output to blunt high prices at the pump.
In addition, new federal drilling approvals under Mr. Biden are outpacing those of his predecessor, according to Politico, highlighting the quandary the Democratic president has faced as in offering mixed messages on energy and the environment.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.