Show I LEASING ASING BILL IS AGAIN INTRODUCED IN THE TILE HOUSE The coal oil oU gas and phosphate leasing bill which failed of final passage passage passage pas pas- sage at the last session of at congress was was reintroduced in the house of representatives representatives representatives rep rep- by Representative Sinnott Sinnott Sin Sin- nott of Oregon new chairman of ot the public lands committee Before introducing InI In- In j I the tho bill Mr Sinnott conferred con con- with Representative Mondell of Ilof Wyoming and other interested congressmen from public land states s and Incorporated In the bill sev several ral Important changes desired by the west est the omission of which contributed ted to the failure of the administration tion bill at the last congress I The Tho new bill in most particulars follows the language of the old leasing leas- leas trig ting i ing bill as It finally was agreed upon in th the conference committee last I March The most important change is in the section providing for tor distribution distribution distri distri- of the moneys derived from leases and royalties This section now now stipulates that 50 per cent of oC all j receipts under the leasing law shall go into the reclamation fund and 50 per cent shall be paid to the states within whose boundaries the leased lands are located This amendment meets one of ot the main objections raised raised raised rais rais- ed to the old bit by br Senator Smoot and And it is understood od he is to introduce In the senate the same bill introduced in fu the house house today I Another Important change is made in section 13 This amendment provides provides provides pro pro- vides that the area of the prospecting permit In fields that are not purely wildcat shall be 1280 acres instead of acres The old bill was found round to be illogical in that tha It u provided prodded a prospecting permit In some localities of but acres and provided for a a. aj Ilease I I lease of 1240 acres It is contended I that it Is not logical to have Q a lease lease acreage in excess of a prospecting acreage Section 13 is further amended by inserting the words any known geologic geologic geologic geo geo- logic structure of or producing oil all orgas orgas or or- gas field In lieu of the words ten miles of any producing oil or gas well vell This change Is for tho the purpose of fixing a logical geological basis on which to distinguish the areas within which a n maximum permit is granted from those in which a minimum permit permit permit per per- mit is provided instead of the arbitrary ry rule of or distance A further change is made by the striking out after aCter the words United States at the end of ot th the following following following fol fol- lowing are situate more than than ten miles miles- from any producing oil or gas well The striking out of ot these words leaves the provision with re regard regard regard re- re gard to the maximum permit acreage to apply as it should to all lands not I within the known geologic structure of ot a producing field Another change occurs In section 14 of the bill wherein it is provided that the tho prospector discovering oil orgas or orgas orgas gas may have preferential right to lease one halt the area covered by his i prospecting permit In the conference conference conference confer confer- ence report on the bill this preferential right was confined to one-fourth one the area The other essential change occurs In section 17 and provides that the secretary of oC Interior may lease lands in a producing producing producing pro pro- I oil or gas field in tracts of ot 60 acres instead of 1280 acres as provided in the bill |