U.S. FEDRegulation
United States extends BLM drilling permit fee authority through 2037
The License to Drill Act, H.R. 7831, was signed into law on October 20, 2026, amending section 35(d) of the Mineral Leasing Act. The act extends the Interior Secretary's duty to collect a fee for each new application for a permit to drill from 2026 through 2037, and directs that all fees collected for fiscal years 2027 through 2037 are transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.
Enrolled text (govinfo.gov) → · The White House
Key points
- The act strikes '2026' and inserts '2037' in paragraphs (1) and (4) of 30 U.S.C. 191(d).govinfo.gov
- For fiscal years 2027 through 2037, all fees collected under the subsection are transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.govinfo.gov
- The President signed the act on October 20, 2026, together with nine other bills, the White House said.The White House
- Section 35(d) of the Mineral Leasing Act is codified at 30 U.S.C. 191(d), as the enrolled text states.govinfo.gov