The Secretary, upon application by the lessee, may authorize the lessee to suspend operations and production on a producing lease and he may, on his own motion, in the interest of conservation suspend operations on any lease but in either case he may extend the lease term for the period of any suspension, and he may waive, suspend, or reduce the rental or royalty required in such lease.
(Pub. L. 91–581, § 11, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1570; Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 236(11), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 672.)