American Oil and Gas Reporter - August 2016 - 34

ing federal dollars going to lawless agencies such as the EPA that care more
about pursuing their own misguided political agendas than the well-being of
American citizens."
Winning Record
NOIA points out that its recommended position-either for or against-on 14
amendments to HR 5538 prevailed. Those
that are part of the bill as it passed the
House, NOIA lists, are:
* An amendment prohibiting the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from
implementing its proposed notice to

lessees on financial assurance (see story
page 16);
* One amendment prohibiting the
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement from implementing its prescriptive well control rule (see "BSEE Plan
for Well Control Has Safety, Cost Issues,
Group Says," AOGR, June 2016), as well
as another targeting the well control rule's
drilling margins component;
* A provision to halt BOEM's proposed air quality regulations (see "BOEM
Proposes New Air Quality Rules," AOGR,
April 2016) until BOEM completes its air
quality evaluation;

* One amendment to stop BOEM from
removing three Arctic offshore lease sales
from its proposed 2017-22 Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program, and another that
prohibits BOEM and BSEE from implementing their Arctic rule for offshore energy development (see story page 19); and
* An amendment to prohibit funding
for the administration's National Ocean
Policy (federal ocean zoning).
Among amendments to HR 5538 that
were proposed but defeated on the House
floor, NOIA mentions, were proposals to
prohibit or restrict seismic activities in the
Eastern Gulf of Mexico, Straits of Florida and Atlantic OCS; increase coal, oil and
natural gas royalty rates and valuations;
and block the inclusion of research or
analysis of portions of the Eastern GOM
in any future lease sale.
Finally, Americans for Limited Government point to an amendment intended to
halt federal government "sue and settle"
pacts by disallowing any funds made
available by HR 5538 from being used to
pay legal fees pursuant to a settlement in
any lawsuit arising under the Clean Air
Act, Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
or the Endangered Species Act.
Other Activity
In two other July legislative developments, IPAA reports the Senate voted 843 to go to conference with the House of
Representatives on a comprehensive energy package, and the House Committee
on Natural Resources reported legislation
instructing BOEM to auction oil and gas
leases on the Internet.
The House voted May 25 to pass its
amendment to S 2012, the Energy Policy
Modernization Act, and go to conference (AOGR, June 2016, pg. 14).
Both versions of S 2012 mandate expedited review of applications to export liquefied natural gas, although the House bill
sets a 30-day limit while the Senate version allows 45 days. Other provisions include authorizing the secretary of interior to approve rights of way for pipelines
on National Park Service lands, energy industry job training and workforce diversity, reauthorizing the Land and Water
Conservation Fund, promoting energy
efficiency in buildings, catalyzing improvements to U.S. electrical infrastructure, and
increasing funding for basic energy research.
API's Finkel says, "This bill could help
continue the U.S. energy renaissance by
strengthening our nation's energy infrastructure, ensuring American natural gas has a
dominant place on the world market, and
putting in place a 21st Century workforce."
HR 5577, the Innovation in Offshore

34 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER
American Oil and Gas Reporter - August 2016

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