A U.S. House committee has advanced legislation that would require the feds help pay for studies of oil and gas potential on federal lands.
The bill would require the Interior secretary to provide up to $50 million toward joint projects with states to conduct oil and gas assessments on federal lands with "significant" oil and gas potential.
U.S. Rep. Don Young says the bill would provide funding for a proposal made by Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell to determine the oil and gas potential in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Parnell in May said he was prepared to ask state lawmakers for $50 million toward a seismic program if the federal government was in as a partner. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell rejected that, saying such a program is prohibited by law.