House Advances Bill to Reauthorize Oil and Gas Drilling Fees

The House on Tuesday passed legislation to let the Interior Department continue collecting permitting fees from oil and gas companies when they apply to drill on federal lands.

Lawmakers passed H.R. 7831 by voice vote. The measure would extend through fiscal 2037 the Bureau of Land Management’s authority to collect application for permit to drill fees. The fee requirement, which was first authorized for fiscal 2016, is set to expire after Sept. 30.

Under the measure, 100% of the fees would be deposited into the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund, which can be used by the bureau without further congressional ...