US Interior Department to Return Withheld State Oil, Gas Revenues

摘要

Facing the threat of lawsuits, the Interior Department has reversed a decision it made earlier this year to reduce the 50% share of oil and gas revenues that states normally receive from production on federal lands within their borders under the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA). Greg Gould, director of the Interior Department's Office of Natural Resources Revenue, said last week that the lost revenues will be refunded starting in fiscal year 2014, which starts in October. He sent separate letters to every affected state with an estimated refund for each.