PENDING APPLICATIONS, OFFERS, AND BIDS.

SEC. 5106. PENDING APPLICATIONS, OFFERS, AND BIDS. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle and except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, all noncompetitive oil and gas lease applications and offers and competitive oil and gas bids pending on the date of enactment of this subtitle shall be processed, and leases shall be issued under the provisions of the Act of February 25, 1920, as in effect before its amendment by this subtitle, except where the issuance of any such lease would not be lawful under such provisions or other applicable law, (b) No noncompetitive lease applications or offers pending on the date of enactment of this subtitle for lands within the Shawnee National Forest, Illinois; the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas; Fort Chafee, Arkansas; or Eglin7878Copy read “Elgin”. Air Force Base, Florida; shall be processed until these lands are posted for competitive bidding in accordance with section 5102 of this subtitle. If any such tract does not receive a bid equal to or greater than the national minimum acceptable bid from a responsible qualified bidder then the noncompetitive applications or offers pending for such a tract shall be reinstated and noncompetitive leases issued under the Act of February 25, 1920, as in effect before its amendment by this subtitle, except where the issuance of any such lease would not be lawful under such provisions or other applicable law. If competitive leases are issued for any such tract, then the pending noncompetitive application or offer shall be rejected. (c) Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, all oil and gas leasing pursuant to the Act of February 25, 1920, after the date of enactment of this subtitle shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle.