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A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to evaluate opportunities to enhance domestic oil and gas production through the exchange of nonproducing Federal oil and gas leases located in the Lewis and Clark National Forest, in the Flathead National Forest, and on Bureau of Land Management land in the State of Montana, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 25, 2002

Requires the Secretary of the Interior to evaluate and report to specified congressional committees on opportunities to enhance domestic oil and gas production through the exchange of the nonproducing leases (Federal oil or gas leases located in either the Badger-Two Medicine Area or the Blackleaf Area, Montana).Instructs the Secretary to consider enhanced domestic oil and gas production by means of: (1) exchange of the nonproducing leases for oil and gas lease tracts of comparable value in Montana or in the Western and Central Planning Areas of the Gulf of Mexico on the outer Continental Shelf (Planning Areas); (2) issuing bidding, royalty, or rental credits for Federal onshore oil and gas leases in Montana or in the Planning Areas in exchange for the cancellation of the nonproducing leases; and (3) alternative ways to exchange or compensate for cancellation of nonproducing leases.Prescribes a formula for the evaluation of the nonproducing leases.Suspends the terms of nonproducing leases in the Badger-Two Medicine Area for a three-year period in order to facilitate the Secretary's evaluation.

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Who introduced it

Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT] · D–MT

Committees

  • Energy and Natural Resources Committee
0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

    Actions

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    1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

    2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6028)

    3. Introduced in Senate

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    Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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