Federal Land Freedom Act of 2023

The Federal Land Freedom Act of 2023 allows states with existing energy regulatory programs to take over leasing, permitting, and regulation of oil, natural gas, and energy development on specific federal lands within their borders. It applies to federal land not in national parks, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, or tribal trust lands as of 2013. States must submit a declaration to federal agencies to assume control, and their actions would not be treated as federal actions under environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act. The bill requires states to collect royalties equal to federal rates and deposit them into federal accounts, while permitting states to retain administrative fees for processing applications.