The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service distributed $753,291,556.24 to 33 states as their 2002 share of revenues associated with mineral leases on federal public lands located within their borders and adjacent to their seaward boundaries.  The money represents the states’ share of collected bonuses, rents and royalties.

Through its Minerals Revenue Management, the MMS is responsible for collecting, accounting for, auditing and disbursing revenues associated with mineral leases on federal onshore and offshore lands. It has similar responsibilities for mineral leases on Indian lands.

 A state is entitled to a share of the mineral revenues collected from federal lands located within that state’s boundaries. For the majority of federal lands, states and the federal government share the revenues: 50 percent to the state, 40 percent to the Reclamation Fund for water projects and 10 percent to the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury. One exception, Alaska, gets a 90-percent share, as prescribed by the Alaska Statehood Act.

 Certain coastal states with federal offshore leases adjacent to their seaward boundaries receive 27 percent of those mineral receipts as well. The remaining offshore revenues go to the General Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund and the Land and Water Conservation Fund of the U.S. Treasury.

 Annual distributions to states vary according to production and market prices. $1 billion was distributed in 2001, $800 million in 2000, $541 million in 1999, $559 million in 1998, $617 million in 1997 and $528 million in 1996.

The 2002 distribution to 33 states: 

Alabama        $8,807,455.84    Louisiana           $13,445,932.20    Ohio                       $292,405.96

Alaska           $9,923,075.54    Michigan                 $297,119.09    Oklahoma           $1,461,618.76

Arizona            $111,281.42    Minnesota                 $18,491.10    Oregon                     $11,234.12

Arkansas       $1,018,354.96    Mississippi              $806,961.53    Pennsylvania             $17,401.72

California     $16,160,880.93    Missouri                 $687,532.93    South Dakota         $438,123.30

Colorado     $41,194,043.92    Montana            $21,836,223.36    Texas                  $7,806,926.88

Florida                 $1,060.34    Nebraska                   $9,867.72    Utah                  $35,408,810.99

Idaho            $1,944,401.84    Nevada               $3,751,691.31    Virginia                     $20,355.68

Illinois                 $88,733.50    New Mexico   $193,575,646.10    Washington            $792,437.24

Kansas          $1,019,329.52    North Carolina        $326,396.89    West Virginia          $233,765.85

Kentucky           $41,413.39    North Dakota      $4,374,692.46    Wyoming         $387,367,889.85

                                                                                                       Total               $753,291,556.24