Bill Overview
Title: DRILL Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of the Interior to issue permits under the Mineral Leasing Act for all pending applications to drill for oil and gas on public land if the applications are complete and meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and other applicable law. In addition, the bill creates a variety of requirements for Interior to report on and publish data concerning leases and permits to develop oil, gas, and renewable energy.
Sponsors: Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]
Target Audience
Population: People affected by changes in federal oil and gas drilling policy
Estimated Size: 332000000
- The bill affects everyone indirectly since oil and gas production impacts global energy supplies which have a cascading effect on global economies.
- Approximately 75% of global carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels which affects the global population through climate change.
- The new legislation will increase transparency and data reporting concerning energy leases which affects energy markets and investors globally.
- There are approximately 7.9 billion people on Earth who may be indirectly affected by changes in energy policy and environmental impacts.
Reasoning
- The DRILL Act is geared towards improving the efficiency of processing permits for oil and gas drilling on public lands, thus possibly boosting production and impacting the energy market.
- A significant portion of the U.S. population might be indirectly affected due to changes in energy prices, economic activity related to oil and gas sectors, and environmental impacts due to increased drilling.
- The transparency and data publication component of the bill will have varied impacts on entities ranging from environmentalists to investors, each interpreting and reacting to the data according to their goals.
- The budgetary constraints mean the policy has a limited immediate financial scope, though its real impact could be long-term through changes in energy market dynamics and federal land management strategies.
- For the simulation, interview candidates are selected from different socioeconomic backgrounds, occupations, and environmental perspectives to show a broad spectrum of how the policy might impact or fail to impact certain demographics.
Simulated Interviews
Energy Sector Analyst (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The DRILL Act could streamline a lot of pending projects and potentially improve job opportunities in the sector.
- Increased transparency could lead to better investment decisions in energy companies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Environmental Scientist (Denver, CO)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could result in significant environmental impact if it leads to more drilling activities.
- There should be a larger focus on renewable energy sources rather than expanding fossil fuel extraction.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Rancher (Rural Wyoming)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Drilling on public lands could interfere with the natural surroundings and impact livestock grazing negatively.
- I hope local communities have a say in how these permits are managed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Oil Executive (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step in the right direction to reduce bureaucratic delays in the energy sector.
- Transparency should aid in preventing any mismanagement of public land resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Financial Analyst (New York City, NY)
Age: 51 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could hinder renewable investment opportunities by placing more focus on fossil fuels.
- Data transparency is always beneficial for market analysts and stakeholders.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Student (Oklahoma City, OK)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about the environmental implications of increased drilling.
- Students like me wonder how this will affect climate change efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Tech Industry Worker (Boston, MA)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this act could drive energy prices down temporarily but could stall innovation in clean energy.
- The transparency aspect is a double-edged sword; beneficial for some, disadvantageous for others.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Healthcare Worker (Federal Way, WA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Drilling could worsen air quality, impacting public health negatively.
- Healthcare systems are already strained without additional environmental challenges.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Entrepreneur (Austin, TX)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Stable energy prices help my business strategy, so this could be beneficial.
- However, this might hurt the push towards more sustainable practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Forest Service Employee (Boise, ID)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased drilling could stress ecosystems and wildlife on public lands.
- Protections and regulations must be enforced diligently to avoid degradation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 3: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 5: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 10: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Key Considerations
- The potential for increased greenhouse gas emissions due to expanded fossil fuel extraction.
- Economic benefits must be balanced with environmental concerns.
- Updating technology infrastructure for data management and publication will require upfront investment.
- Potential conflicts with future climate change mitigation policies.