H.R. 1555 Introduced Energy

Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, and for other purposes.

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5] Introduced February 25, 2025 Cosponsors 3 (3 R) Latest action September 15, 2026

Summary

Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act
This bill exempts certain oil and gas exploration and production activities from permit and environmental review requirements. This exemption applies to activities conducted on nonfederal surface estates located on partially federally-held mineral rights.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from requiring an operator to obtain a federal drilling permit under the Mineral Leasing Act for oil and gas exploration and production activities conducted on a nonfederal surface estate if (1) less than 50% of the subsurface mineral estate to be accessed by the proposed action is federally owned, and (2) the operator submits to the BLM a state permit to conduct such activities on the nonfederal surface estate.
Those activities are not considered to be a major federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and thus are exempt from environmental review requirements under NEPA. Further, those activities are exempt from requirements for federal actions under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
The bill does not apply to Indian lands.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Actions

  1. Sep 15, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 21 - 16.
  2. Sep 15, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  3. Sep 15, 2026 Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged
  4. Mar 25, 2026 Subcommittee Hearings Held
  5. Mar 18, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
  6. Feb 25, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  7. Feb 25, 2025 Introduced in House

Congressional and federal records come from official public sources: the House Clerk, the U.S. Senate, GovInfo and the Library of Congress (bill status), the Federal Register, and the congress-legislators project. They are copied on a schedule and may lag the official record by a few hours; the official sources govern. News and coverage counts are drawn from the 4Conservative index and reflect what the press published, not 4Conservative's views. Nothing here is an endorsement of any candidate, party or position. Terms of use.