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CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS

SEC. 2. As the basis for the declaration of policy and 3 authorizations set forth in subsequent provisions of this Act,

4 the Congress finds that

(a) the Nation's domestic crude oil production is in substantial decline and dependence upon unreliable foreign sources of oil is growing at an alarming rate;

(b) production from the Prudhoe Bay oil fields on Alaska's North Slope, which now constitutes over 20 per centum of the Nation's total domestic crude oil production, will begin to decline rapidly in 1988;

(c) in 1980, Congress directed the Secretary of the Interior to study the oil and gas potential and the fish and wildlife resources of the 1.5 million acres of

public land in the Coastal Plain;

(d) reports prepared by the Department of the Interior and other Federal, State, and private groups

clearly indicate that the public lands within the Coastal Plain constitute the most outstanding oil and gas pros

pect in the United States, onshore or offshore, with po

tential reserves in place estimated to be from 4.8 to

29.4 billion barrels of crude oil;

(e) the results of eighteen years of operations at Prudhoe Bay provide compelling evidence that carefully planned and executed oil and gas exploration, devel

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opment, production, and transportation on the public lands is compatible with the North Slope's fish and

wildlife resources and the needs of subsistence users of

those resources; and

(f) the long, ten or more years, lead time required for development of one or more major new North Slope oil fields requires a prompt decision by Congress

on the future use of the public lands within the Coastal Plain.

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DECLARATION OF POLICY

SEC. 3. (a) The Congress declares that it is in the na

12 tional interest of the United States to:

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(1) permit exploration, development, production, and transportation of the oil and gas resources within the public lands of the Coastal Plain, which is―

(A) located to the east of Prudhoe Bay, an area where intensive oil exploration, development and production has been conducted in an environmentally sound manner, and

(B) served by an existing crude oil pipeline and tanker transportation system;

(2) authorize an exploration and development pro

gram for the oil and gas resources of the public lands

of the Coastal Plain which has the support of the State

of Alaska, the North Slope Borough, the Village of

Kaktovik, and other local governments in Alaska, and

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1 the Inupiat Eskimo people of the North Slope, and

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which will serve the vital interests of the Nation,

including

(A) national security, by providing dependable new sources of domestic oil production outside of the control and influence of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries;

(B) the interests of American consumers, by expanding domestic sources of reasonably priced gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, and other crude oil products; and

(C) the national economy, by improving the balance of trade through reductions in foreign oil

imports, by generating new economic activity, by creating new jobs, and by reducing the Federal deficit through increased tax, competitive bonus

bid and royalty revenues.

(b) The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of 19 the United States that

(1) exploration, development, production, and transportation of the oil and gas resources of the public

lands within the Coastal Plain, the Nation's foremost prospect for the discovery of new giant and super giant oil fields, should be authorized and should proceed with dispatch; and

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(2) such activities should be conducted in a manner consistent with the protection of the fish and

wildlife resources and environment and the needs of

the area's subsistence users which utilize the public

lands of the Coastal Plain.

COASTAL PLAIN

SEC. 4. The Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920, 41

8 Stat. 437, as amended, is further amended by adding a new 9 subchapter X at the end of chapter 3A-Leases and Pro10 specting Permits (30 U.S.C. 181) to read as follows:

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"SUBCHAPTER X-COASTAL PLAIN LEASING "AUTHORIZATION FOR LEASING OF THE COASTAL PLAIN

"SEC. 288. (a)(1) The Congress hereby authorizes and 14 directs the Secretary of the Interior through whatever 15 agency of the Department he deems appropriate Federal offi16 cers and agencies to take such actions as are necessary to 17 establish and promptly implement a competitive oil and gas 18 leasing program that will assure the expeditious exploration, 19 development and production of the oil and gas resources of 20 the public lands of the Coastal Plain.

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"(2) This authorization includes, incorporates and sup22 plements the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 23 and other existing Federal laws on oil and gas leasing, explo24 ration and development on public lands, and grants such new 25 legislative authority as is necessary to enable the Secretary 26 to authorize and permit all such activities as are required to

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1 achieve the expeditious exploration, development and produc2 tion of the oil and gas resources within the public lands of the 3 Coastal Plain. These authorizations include all activities as4 sociated with and required in the exploration, development, 5 production and transportation of the oil and gas resources of 6 the public lands within the Coastal Plain, and include, but 7 are not limited to, the authorization and granting of rights-of8 way, permits, leases, use permits and such other authoriza9 tions as are necessary to facilitate exploration, development, 10 production and transportation of oil and gas resources on the 11 public lands within the Coastal Plain.

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"(3) The Coastal Plain leasing program required by sub13 section (a) shall include the following elements:

"(A) The first lease sale shall be conducted within twelve months of the date of enactment of this Act.

"(B) The Secretary is authorized to grant to the highest responsible qualified bidder or bidders by competitive bidding, under regulations promulgated in ad

vance, oil and gas leases on unleased public lands within the Coastal Plain. Such regulations may provide

for the deposit of cash bids in an interest-bearing account until the Secretary announces his decision on whether to accept the bids, with the interest earned

thereon to be paid to the Treasury as to bids that are accepted and to the unsuccessful bidders as to bids that

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