HR 745119th CongressIn Committee

Abundant American Resources Act of 2025

Introduced: Jan 28, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Abundant American Resources Act of 2025 would require federal resource agencies to complete comprehensive value assessments of minerals on both land and sea. Within three years of enactment, the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must finish a study evaluating the dollar value of liquid, gaseous, locatable, leasable, and salable minerals in covered onshore areas, while the Chief of the Forest Service (FS) must assess liquid, gaseous, and locatable minerals in covered onshore areas. Separately, the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) must complete a study—also within three years—of the dollar value of liquid, gaseous, and locatable minerals in covered offshore areas. These studies may be conducted directly or through private contracts. The measures apply to “covered” onshore and offshore areas (as defined in the bill) and explicitly include co-managed areas (areas overseen by more than one federal agency). They also set exclusions and boundaries: onshore, the National Park System units and pre-2000 areas designated as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) are excluded; offshore, marine national monuments are included, and areas withdrawn from mining laws or designated under moratoria are included. The term “liquid minerals” includes crude oil, and “gaseous minerals” includes natural gas.

Key Points

1Purpose: Require federal agencies to quantify the dollar value of various mineral types in specified onshore and offshore areas to inform resource assessments.
2Onshore studies: BLM to value liquid, gaseous, locatable, leasable, and salable minerals; FS to value liquid, gaseous, and locatable minerals, in covered onshore areas.
3Offshore study: BOEM to value liquid, gaseous, and locatable minerals in covered offshore areas.
4Timeframe: All studies must be completed within three years of enactment.
5Areas considered: Include co-managed areas; exclude National Park System units and pre-2000 ACECs onshore; include marine national monuments and offshore areas with mining law withdrawals or moratoria.
6Definitions: Clarifies terms such as “co-managed area,” “covered onshore/offshore area,” and what counts as liquid or gaseous minerals (e.g., crude oil and natural gas).

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal land and resource management agencies (BLM, FS, BOEM) and the areas under their jurisdiction.- Industries and investors involved in onshore and offshore mineral development, who may use the study results to inform exploration, leasing, or development decisions.Secondary group/area affected- Local communities and regional economies near covered onshore areas (especially areas with potential mineral value in ACECs or post-1999 monuments).- Environmental stakeholders who monitor how the defined areas and exclusions impact conservation and land-use protections.Additional impacts- Potential influence on future policy decisions about mineral leasing and development, depending on the perceived value of resources in covered areas.- Interagency coordination requirements due to the inclusion of co-managed areas and the involvement of multiple agencies (BLM, FS, BOEM).- Budget and contracting implications, since studies may be conducted directly or via private contractors, and must be completed within a defined deadline.- The exclusions (e.g., pre-2000 ACECs and National Park System units onshore) preserve existing protections in certain sensitive areas, which could affect the overall valuation outcomes and any subsequent policy considerations.

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