Manchin, Hoeven, Murkowski Reintroduce the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act

Press Release

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), John Hoeven (R-ND) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today reintroduced the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (DEJA), a bipartisan, comprehensive package of energy legislation that will not only reduce the high energy costs faced by hard-working families and small businesses, but also spur badly-needed economic growth and job creation across the U.S. economy.

"Developing a strong, all-of-the-above domestic energy plan is the clear pathway forward to help us achieve energy independence while also strengthening our economy and creating good-paying jobs right here on American soil," Senator Manchin said. "I am particularly proud we were able to keep in place the 2008 Stream Buffer rule that was the product of years of work between industry and government. This bill provides commonsense solutions to protect our environment and allow economic growth and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move forward with a national energy plan."

"America's abundance of energy resources combined with the technological know-how and entrepreneurial talent of Americans to develop them can lift our country up," Hoeven said. "The Domestic Energy and Jobs Act takes a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to developing our nation's vast energy resources in order to create jobs, improve our economy and make our nation safer and more secure."

"I appreciate Senator Hoeven's continued leadership in pulling together a broad range of our ideas to promote energy production and regulatory balance," said Senator Murkowski. "This bill would not only protect, but also boost our still-fragile economy. It addresses some of our most pressing needs -- including the need for new production in my home state of Alaska and the need to update our mineral policies for the 21st century. Measures like this will allow us to develop our resources -- and a truly national energy plan."

The Domestic Energy and Jobs Act will:

* Establish an American Energy Development Plan: Requires the Interior Secretary to establish an "all-of-the-above" energy program for federal lands by reviewing the nation's energy needs and then establishing goals for federal land energy production to meet those needs from all energy sources, including oil, natural gas, coal and renewables.

* Freeze and Study the Impact of EPA Rules on Gasoline Regulations: Requires an interagency task force to conduct a cumulative analysis on certain EPA rules and actions that impact the price of gasoline and diesel fuels, providing for a better understanding of the costs and consequences of these rules.

* Provide Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Certainty: Requires a minimum annual acreage leasing plan that makes available at least 25 percent of the lands open for leasing each year and set firm timelines for the Interior secretary to issue leases and adjudicate lease protests. It would prohibit the Secretary from withdrawing leases and adding additional lease stipulations after they have been sold.

* Advance Offshore Wind Production: Allows weather site testing for wind, tidal, current and solar mapping to discover and catalog potential energy on or in the waters of the Outer Continental Shelf. The bill limits the size of testing to one acre on the seafloor or five acres on the surface, and sets a 30 day deadline for issuance of a permit to test.

* Streamline Energy Permitting: Establishes a cost-recovery mechanism for permitting and protests and ensure that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permitting offices have the personnel and resources necessary to approve energy development on federal lands. It includes hard timelines on permit approvals, cuts back on red tape, and reduces litigation. Applies to oil, natural gas, wind, coal, solar and other energy project permitting on federal lands.

* Provide Access to the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA): Provides for leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, an area of land on the Alaska North Slope managed by the BLM. The bill would reaffirm Congress' intent that the land's main purpose is for oil and natural gas resources and requires at least one lease sale in areas most likely to produce oil. It also directs the Interior and Transportation secretaries to work toward the development of pipelines and roads in the reserve, in an environmentally responsible manner.

* Hold BLM Live Internet Auctions: Gives the Interior Secretary the authority to conduct Internet-based auctions for onshore leases to ensure the best return to the federal taxpayer, reduce fraud and secure the leasing process.

* Establish a Mining Law Program or Solid Minerals Leasing Program: Freezes the Interior Department's attempt to shift the regulation of coal mines from the Office of Surface Mining to the BLM or Office of Natural Resources Revenue.

* Increase State Revenue Sharing for Outer Continental Shelf Revenues: Changes the total amount a Gulf producing state can receive from Outer Continental Shelf revenues from $500 million per year to $750 million for the years 2023 to 2055.

* Offer Lease Sales off Virginia Coast: Directs the Interior Secretary to offer minerals off the shores of Virginia in a lease sale. The area covered by the sale is about 2.9 million acres at least 50 miles offshore of Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area. The Bureau estimates that this area may contain 130 million barrels of oil and 1.14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The bill protects any military activities by prohibiting any activity that would conflict with any military operation.

* Limit New Regulations on Mining: Prohibit the Interior Secretary from creating an onerous stream buffer rule.

* Establish a Critical Minerals Policy Act: Directs the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a list of minerals critical to the U.S. economy and sets forth a comprehensive set of policies that will bolster critical mineral production, expand manufacturing and promote recycling and alternatives -- all while maintaining strong environmental protections.

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