To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to establish procedures for the reinstatement of leases terminated due to unforeseeable circumstances.

May 20, 2005

Mr. ENZI introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to establish procedures for the reinstatement of leases terminated due to unforeseeable circumstances.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Mineral Leasing Act Amendments of 2005'.

SEC. 2. REINSTATEMENT OF LEASES.

Section 31(d) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 188(d)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

`(2) REQUIREMENT-

`(A) IN GENERAL- A lease shall not be reinstated under paragraph (1) unless--

`(i) for a lease canceled under subsection (b) during the period beginning on September 1, 2001, and ending on the date that is 60 days after the date of enactment of the Mineral Leasing Act Amendments of 2005, a lessee files a petition for reinstatement of the lease (together with any required back rent or royalty payment accruing after the date of termination of the lease) not later than the later of--

`(I) the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of the Mineral Leasing Act Amendments of 2005; or

`(II) the date that is 60 days after the date of receipt by the lessee of a notice of termination of the lease from the Secretary by certified mail; or

`(ii) for a lease canceled under subsection (b) after the date that is 60 days after the date of enactment of the Mineral Leasing Act Amendments of 2005, a lessee files a petition for reinstatement of the lease (together with any required back rent or royalty payment accruing after the date of termination of the lease) on or before the date that is 60 days after the date of receipt by each lessee of record of the notice of termination of the lease from the Secretary by certified mail.

`(B) EXCEPTION- Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to a lessee that received a notice of termination from the Secretary on a date that is not later than 13 months after the date of termination of the lease.'

END