H.R. 1 - The Big Beautiful Bill (Simplified) - Part 8 - Natural Resources

It's long, it's complicated, and Marjorie Taylor Greene (and probably most people she works with) hasn't read it. Let's not be one of those people. Here is a simplified version of a very complex, and very dangerous bill, that's easy to read and something we can all understand. Please share with friends and family. Thank you.

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TITLE VIII -- COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

80101 - ONSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALES

Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act is amended to state that onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal lands are to resume immediately (which were paused during the Biden Administration). This includes a minimum of four oil and gas lease sales in nine states and "any other state...available for oil and gas leasing."

80102 - NONCOMPETITIVE LEASING

Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act is further amended to state that any land that either is not bid on, or receives a low bid, will be offered up for non-competitive leasing (an agreement without a formal, competitive bidding process) within 30 days.

80103 - PERMIT FEES

Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act is further amended to state that two energy production sources that commingle will be treated as a single entity, but must pay an application fee of $10,000 and agree to install measurement devices for each energy source. For a single-lease permit it is $5000.

80104 - PERMITTING FEE FOR NON-FEDERAL LAND

This section states that the Secretary of the Interior (currently Doug Burgum) won't require a permit to drill for oil or gas if the leaseholder pays $5000 and isn't drilling on federal land.

80105 - REINSTATE REASONABLE ROYALTY RATES

Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act is amended to reduce the current royalty rate of 16.67% (set by the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022) to 12.5% for new onshore and offshore gas and oil leases. (Royalties are earned by landowners who own the mineral rights beneath their property.)

80111 - GEOTHERMAL LEASING

Section 4 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 is amended to hold annual (instead of biennial) geothermal lease sales, and replace those that are cancelled.

The Svartsengi geothermal power station near Grindavik, Iceland - Getty Images

80112 - GEOTHERMAL ROYALTIES

Section 5 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 is amended to state that more than one geothermal facility listed on the same lease will be treated as a separate entity when it comes to royalty payments.

80121 - COASTAL PLAIN OIL AND GAS LEASING

The administration will withdraw the 2024 Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, Alaska and reinstate the 2019 version, which would approve oil and gas leasing in the Coastal Plain of the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.

80141 - COAL LEASING

The Secretary will hold a lease sale within 90 days of enactment of this bill, and take all actions necessary to grant qualified applications. This includes making available for lease an additional 4,000,000 acres on Federal land.

80142 - FUTURE COAL LEASING

Secretarial Order 3338, instated by President Obama, which directed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conduct a comprehensive review of the federal coal program, will no longer hold any weight.

80143 - COAL ROYALTY

Section 7 of the Mineral Leasing Act is amended to decrease the royalty rate from 12.5% to 7%.

80144 - AUTHORIZATION TO MINE FEDERAL MINERALS

All federal coal reserves leased under Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988 are authorized to be mined in accordance with the Bull Mountains (Montana) Mining Plan Modification, which was approved on June 6, 2025.

80151 - PROJECT SPONSOR OPT-IN FEES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 is amended to state that project sponsors can pay for an environmental review, and if they do, an administrative and/or judicial review will no longer be necessary.

The New York Times

80152 - RESCISSION RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE DATA COLLECTION

Section 60401 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $32,500,000 to support data collection related to negative environmental harms and climate impacts, pollution, and temperature rise, is rescinded.

80161 - PROTEST FEES

Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act is amended to state that anyone protesting oil and gas lease sales must pay a filing fee of at least $150.

80171 - MANDATORY OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALES

This section states that there will be no fewer than 30 lease sales in the "Gulf of America" for 15 years after the enactment of this bill, and for not fewer than 80,000,000 acres. The Cook Inlet Planning Area in Alaska will hold no fewer than 6 sales, and for not fewer than 1,000,000 acres.

80172 - OFFSHORE COMMINGLING

The Secretary will approve commingling of drilling operators, unless it isn't safe or there is less production of gas and oil.

80173 - LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTED QUALIFED OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF REVENUES

Section 105 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 is amended to raise the cap on Outer Continental Shelf (seabed belonging to the U.S.) revenues from $500,000,000 to $650,000,000.

80181 - RENEWABLE ENERGY FEES ON FEDERAL LANDS

On January 1st every year the Secretary will collect rent from holders of wind and solar energy projects, until those project begin to produce. Wind projects will see double the rent due to encumbrance (claim on a property), while solar will remain relatively steady.

Getty Images

80182 - RENEWABLE ENERGY REVENUE SHARING

Beginning January 1, 2026, money collected from renewable energy projects (wind, solar) on public land and National Forests will be deposited into the U.S. Treasury.

80201 - RESCISSION OF FUNDS FOR INVESTING IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Section 40001 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $2,600,000,000 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to tribes, non-profits, and schools for the protection of coastal and marine habitats, is rescinded.

80202 - RESCISSION OF FUNDS FOR FACILITIES OF NOAA AND NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES

Section 40002 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $200,000,000 to NOAA to replace and repair piers and fisheries laboratories, and construct facilities to support the National Marine Sanctuary System (17 marine protected areas), is rescinded.

80202 - SURFACE WATER STORAGE ENHANCEMENT

In addition to already-appropriated funds, $2,000,000,000 will be added to increase the capacity of Bureau of Reclamation (responsible for hydroelectric power generation) surface-water storage facilities.

80204 - WATER CONVEYANCE ENHANCEMENT

In addition to already-appropriated funds, $500,000,000 will be added to increase Bureau of Reclamation conveyance facilities (pipelines, aqueducts, and canals).

80301 - RESCISSION OF FOREST SERVICE FUNDS

Section 23001 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $2,150,000,000 for fuel reduction (cutting back dead trees), brush removal, and protection of old-growth forests on the National Forest System, is rescinded.

80302 - RESCISSION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) FUNDS

Section 50221 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $250,000,000 to carry out conservation and protection of lands and resources for NPS and BLM, is rescinded.

80303 - RESCISSION OF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) FUNDS

Section 50222 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $250,000,000 to carry out conservation and ecosystem and habitat restoration on lands run by the NPS and BLM, is rescinded.

80304 - RESCISSION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FUNDS

Section 50223 of Public Law 117-169, which appropriated $500,000,000 to the NPS for hiring employees, is rescinded.

A conceptual drawing by Storyland Studios of a National Garden of American Heroes near Mount Rushmore - South Dakota Governor’s Office

80305 - CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

In addition to already-appropriated funds, $190,000,000 will be added for events and celebrations relating to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The money would also be used to build a park known as the "National Garden of American Heroes," complete with statues of Founding Fathers, political figures, athletes, celebrities, and pop-culture icons.

80306 - LONG-TERM CONTRACTS FOR THE FOREST SERVICE

The Chief of the Forest Service will not enter into less than one long-term contract with public or private entities between now and 2034, and the funds will be deposited into the U.S. Treasury.

80307 - LONG-TERM CONTRACTS FOR THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

The Director of BLM will not enter into less than one long-term contract with public or private entities between now and 2034, and the funds will be deposited into the U.S. Treasury.

80308 - TIMBER PRODUCTION FOR THE FOREST SERVICE

Within one year of the passage of this bill, the Secretary of Agriculture (currently Brooke Rollins) will increase the timber harvest on National Forest System lands by 25%.

80309 - TIMBER PRODUCTION FOR THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Within one year of the passage of this bill, the Secretary of the Interior will increase the timber harvest on public lands by 25%.

If you would like to read the bill yourself, click the link below.

The Big, Beautiful Bill

Ellie is an author, editor, and owner of Red Pencil Transcripts, and works with filmmakers, podcasts, and journalists all over the world. She lives with her family just outside of New York City.