A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 678.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Alaska's Right to Produce Act 2.0", approves and ratifies all federal permits, orders, and authorizations necessary to establish and run the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program. It stops the President or the Secretary of the Interior from placing any moratoriums, pauses, or cancellations on existing oil and gas leases in the Coastal Plain. The bill also prevents the government from enforcing a specific Bureau of Land Management rule regarding the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Additionally, it sets up rules for unit agreements, allows the Secretary to waive or reduce rental fees and royalties to encourage development, and limits court reviews of these leasing actions. Finally, it ensures that geological and geophysical exploration activities can take place in the Coastal Plain.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
Energy companies, leaseholders, and investors benefit from protections against lease cancellations and potential fee reductions.
- Scored +4
Does this give the federal government more power?
Congress overrides various federal environmental laws and restricts judicial review to mandate the administration of the oil and gas leasing program.
- Scored +3
Does this invest in rural communities?
The bill requires consultation with local Alaskan entities and the North Slope Borough regarding infrastructure coordination and surface resource usage.
The opposite· 3 of 5
- Scored -7
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?
By ratifying permits, preventing lease cancellations, and incentivizing exploration, the bill actively expands and protects fossil fuel production.
- Scored -6
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The legislation strips courts of jurisdiction to review environmental approvals for the leasing program and blocks protections established under specific Bureau of Land Management rules.
- Scored -6
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
The legislation overrides environmental reviews and mandates the execution of an oil and gas leasing program on public lands in the Coastal Plain.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Promotion of Oil and Gas Development and Reduced Costs for Leaseholders: Under Section 7(a)(1)(A), the Secretary of the Interior may waive, suspend, or reduce rental fees, minimum royalties, or overall royalties for leases on the Coastal Plain. This could benefit oil and gas operators and leaseholders by lowering their operating costs and helping them successfully develop leases that might otherwise be too expensive to run.
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Protection Against Lease Cancellations for Investors: Section 5(a) prohibits the President and the Secretary of the Interior from cancelling any lease issued under the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program after bids have been opened, unless the lessee breaks the rules and fails to fix the violation. This provides financial and operational security for companies and investors who have bid on these tracts.
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Involvement of Local Alaskan Communities: Section 6(b) requires the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the State of Alaska, applicable Regional Corporations, and the North Slope Borough when making public interest determinations for unit agreements and land usage to minimize impacts to surface resources and share infrastructure. This provision ensures that local and state entities have a voice in how regional development is coordinated.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Elimination of General Court Challenges for Environmental and Public Interest Groups: Under Section 5(b)(1), courts are stripped of jurisdiction to review actions taken by federal agencies, state agencies, or Indian Tribes that grant permits, biological opinions, or other approvals for the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program. This heavily restricts individuals, communities, and public interest groups from challenging these federal decisions in local courts if they believe environmental or procedural laws were broken.
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Blocking of Specific Conservation Protections: Section 8 explicitly prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the specific Bureau of Land Management final rule titled "Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska" or any similar rule. Individuals and groups who favored the environmental protections and management guidelines outlined in that specific rule will see those protections blocked from taking effect.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill requires consultation with local Alaskan entities and the North Slope Borough regarding infrastructure coordination and surface resource usage. Is this likely to lower the price at the pump? — Increasing oil exploration and production potential in Alaska could contribute to lower long-term energy costs. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — By ratifying permits, preventing lease cancellations, and incentivizing exploration, the bill actively expands and protects fossil fuel production. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The legislation strips courts of jurisdiction to review environmental approvals for the leasing program and blocks protections established under specific Bureau of Land Management rules. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The legislation overrides environmental reviews and mandates the execution of an oil and gas leasing program on public lands in the Coastal Plain. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill promotes oil and gas leasing and exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain and blocks certain conservation rules, which increases fossil fuel development.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Energy companies, leaseholders, and investors benefit from protections against lease cancellations and potential fee reductions. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — North Slope Borough and local Alaskan communities are formally consulted to minimize surface impacts and facilitate shared infrastructure. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides specific consultation requirements for Alaska Regional Corporations and the Native Village of Kaktovik regarding cultural resources and unit agreements.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill promotes and protects oil and gas leasing and exploration activities in Alaska's Coastal Plain, which is expected to support employment in the energy sector. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Facilitating energy production and reducing operational costs for leaseholders in the Coastal Plain can provide a modest boost to regional economic activity.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Congress overrides various federal environmental laws and restricts judicial review to mandate the administration of the oil and gas leasing program. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill mandates consultation with the State of Alaska, local boroughs, and regional corporations on unit agreements and exploration incentives. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Section 5 of the bill strips courts of jurisdiction to review agency actions and permits related to the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program.
- 9/22/2026
- Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 678.
- 9/17/2026
- Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
- Introduced in Senate