; processing of applications for permit to drill If, in a civil action described in paragraph (1), the environmental review for a lease sale is found by the applicable court to violate the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. )— (A) notwithstanding chapter 5 or 7 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Administrative Procedure Act ), the applicable court shall not set aside the lease sale and vacate the leases issued pursuant to the sale but instead remand the matter to the Secretary of the Interior to resolve the violation; and (B) the Secretary of the Interior shall continue to process all applicable applications for permit to drill pursuant to subsection (p)(2). (3) Notice (A) In general Not later than 60 days after the date on which a civil action described in paragraph (1) is filed, the Secretary of the Interior shall notify the holder of any lease issued under the lease sale that is the subject of the civil action of the filing of the civil action. (B) Timeline Not later than 90 days after the date of receipt of a notice under subparagraph (A), the leaseholder may file with the Secretary of the Interior a request to pause the timeline under subsection (e)(1) with respect to the term of the lease during any period in which the civil action is pending. . (4) Lease cancellation Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act ( 30 U.S.C. 226 ) (as amended by paragraph (3)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (s) Lease cancellation A lease issued under this section shall be considered to be valid and not subject to cancellation by the Secretary of the Interior for any reason, except for— (1) the express written agreement to the cancellation by the lessee