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S. 719: Surface Estate Owner Notification Act

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S. 719: Surface Estate Owner Notification Act

111th Congress · introduced 2009-03-26 · Energy · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2009-03-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 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

Surface Estate Owner Notification Act

Plain summary

Surface Estate Owner Notification Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, at least 45 days before the sale of a lease under the Mineral Leasing Act for development of U.S.-owned oil and gas resources (including coalbed methane), to submit a written notice to the surface estate owner of the land subject to the lease. Requires such a notice to include information on split estates and the rights and responsibilities of landowners. Requires the Secretary to notify the surface estate owner of: (1) the lessee's identity by 10 working days after a lease is issued; (2) any subsequent decisions regarding a lease, such as modification or waiver of stipulations and approval of rights of way; and (3) the issuance of the drilling permit within five days afterwards.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Surface Estate Owner Notification Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong111-s719 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111