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H.R. 5759: Protecting Rural Landscapes Act of 2010

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H.R. 5759: Protecting Rural Landscapes Act of 2010

111th Congress · introduced 2010-07-15 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2010-07-15 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM-1] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Rural Landscapes Act of 2010

Plain summary

Protecting Rural Landscapes Act of 2010 - Amends the Mineral Leasing Act, with respect to the lease of oil and gas lands, to require a person with the legal right to conduct oil and gas operations on covered land (operator) to compensate the surface owner for damages resulting from: (1) loss of agricultural production and income; (2) lost land value; (3) lost use of and lost access to the land; and (4) the lost value of improvements. Requires the operator to reclaim the affected surface. Requires the operator to give notice prior to: (1) initial entry for activities that do not disturb the surface; and (2) commencing oil and gas operations. Requires the operator, at the time of providing notice of commencement of oil and gas operations, to provide the surface owner with a proposed surface use agreement that includes an offer of compensation for damages to the surface affected by oil and gas operations. Requires an operator to provide the surface owner with appropriate financial assurance of reclamation in lieu of executing a surface use agreement. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide notice of upcoming lease sales and drilling permits to each: (1) surface owner of affected covered land; and (2) permittee or right-of-way holder with the right to use the surface of affected federal land.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Rural Landscapes Act of 2010

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM-1] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM-1] reported raising $1.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong111-hr5759 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111