Rep. Bice's Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act Advances out of Natural Resources Committee

September 15, 2026 Press Release Washington D.C. – Today, H.R. 1555, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act, passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee. The legislation would address duplicative federal permitting requirements for oil and natural gas development on lands where the federal government holds minority ownership. Congresswoman Bice issued the following statement: “I’m proud to advance this commonsense legislation that respects private mineral owners and supports American energy production. Right now, energy projects can be forced to go through both state and federal permitting processes even when the federal government owns less than half of the subsurface estate. The BLM Mineral Spacing Act would eliminate this duplicative process and allow these projects to move forward under applicable state and private requirements, while still protecting the federal government’s mineral interests and royalties.” Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement: “Duplicative federal permitting requirements delay American energy production without improving oversight. H.R. 1555 allows operators with state-approved permits to move forward when the surface is nonfederal and less than half of the subsurface mineral estate is federally owned, establishing a more predictable process. I commend Rep. Bice for advancing a practical solution that respects state regulators, maintains federal accountability and supports President Trump’s commitment to American energy dominance.” Contact: Wesley Harkins Phone: (202) 225-2132