; and (B) not later than 10 days after the date of the lease sale, the Secretary of the Interior shall refund to the person who submitted the expression of interest an amount equal to the amount of the initial fee paid. . (2) Protested lease sales Section 17(b)(1)(A) of the Mineral Leasing Act ( 30 U.S.C. 226(b)(1)(A) ) is amended by inserting after the seventh sentence the following: The Secretary of the Interior shall resolve any protest to a lease sale within 60 days following such payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the Secretary of the Interior denies a protest to a lease sale, any lease subject to the protest shall not be subject to further environmental review by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ). . (3) Effect of litigation Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act ( 30 U.S.C. 226 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (r) Effect of litigation (1) In general A civil action relating to an environmental review under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ), division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (formerly known as the National Historic Preservation Act ), or the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ) with respect to a lease sale conducted under this section shall not— (A) affect the validity of a lease issued under the lease sale that is the subject of the civil action; or (B) except as provided in paragraph (3)(B), cause a delay in the timelines established under subsection (p)(2) for the consideration of an application for permit to drill with respect to a lease issued under the lease sale that is the subject of the civil action. (2) Remand