H.R. 678

Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Jan 23, 2025)

Expression of Interest Sensibility Act

This bill limits when the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) may charge a fee for an expression of interest, which is an informal nomination to request that certain federal land be included in a lease sale for the exploration for, and development of, oil or gas.

The bill requires the BLM to charge a fee to a successful bidder when the agency offers the nominated land for sale. If the land covered by an expression of interest does not receive bids during the lease sale, the BLM must charge a fee to the person that submitted the first expression of interest for the land. Thus, the BLM may not charge fees when the land is not made available for a lease sale. (Currently, the BLM charges a fee when a person submits an expression of interest in leasing land, and the fee must be paid even if the land is not offered for sale.)

The bill also requires an expression of interest to remain active for a term of at least five years unless the land covered by the expression of interest is offered at a lease sale.