A bill to amend the Mineral Leasing Act to provide for the payment of bonus payments of certain coal leases issued under that Act.

This bill amends the Mineral Leasing Act to revise the payment structure for bonus payments on certain coal leases. It establishes a new system allowing for deferred bonus payments, aiming to modify how these initial lease acquisition costs are handled.

Specifically, the legislation mandates that bonus payments for leases issued under this subsection will be payable in 10 equal annual installments. The first of these installments is required to be submitted with the bid for the lease, spreading the financial obligation over a decade rather than requiring a single upfront payment.