Native American Energy Act

Summary

Native American Energy Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to allow the Secretary of the Interior, an affected Indian tribe, or a certified third-party appraiser under contract with the Indian tribe to appraise Indian land or trust assets involved in a transaction requiring the Secretary's approval. Gives tribes the option of waiving such appraisals. Requires each agency within the Department of the Interior involved in the review of oil and gas activities on Indian lands to use a uniform system of reference numbers and tracking systems for oil and gas wells. Amends the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to make the environmental impact statement for major federal action on Indian lands available for review and comment only to the affected Indian tribe and individuals residing within the affected area. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to direct the Secretary to establish five Indian Energy Development Offices, each within a regional or agency office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), to assist the Secretary in carrying out the Indian energy resource development program. Prohibits the Secretary from collecting a fee for: (1) applying for a permit to drill on Indian land, (2) oil or gas inspection activities on such lands, or (3) any oil or gas lease for nonproducing acreage on Indian land. Requires plaintiffs who obtain a preliminary injunction or administrative stay in Indian energy related actions to post bond. Subjects them to liability for a defendant's harm should they not ultimately prevail on the merits of the energy related action. Prohibits plaintiffs in Indian energy related actions against the federal government from receiving certain federal payments for their fees or expenses. Amends the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to direct the Secretary to enter into agreements with Indian tribes to carry out demonstration projects that promote biomass energy production on Indian forest land and in nearby communities by providing tribes with reliable supplies of woody biomass from federal lands. Considers activities conducted or resources harvested or produced pursuant to a tribal resource management plan or an integrated resource management plan approved by the Secretary to be a sustainable when sustainability is federally required. Amends the Long-Term Leasing Act to authorize the Navajo Nation to enter into commercial or agricultural leases of up to 99 years on their restricted lands without the Secretary's approval, provided they are executed under tribal regulations approved by the Secretary. Allows the Navajo Nation to enter into mineral resource leases on their restricted lands without the Secretary's approval if they are executed under approved tribal regulations and do not exceed 25 years, though they may include a renewal option for one additional term not exceeding 25 years.

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Documents

6 official files

• Reported in House (text)

  Reported in House · EN · 23 October 2012

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• Reported in House (PDF)

  Reported in House · EN · 23 October 2012

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• Reported to House with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 23 October 2012

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• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 7 February 2012

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 7 February 2012

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 7 February 2012

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