U.S. states have already received more minerals revenues fortheir share of production on federal lands within their borders andfor offshore oil and gas tracts adjacent to their shores than forall of 1999, according to the Department of the Interior’s MineralsManagement Service. MMS distributed more than $575 million to 34states last week.

“This year’s three-quarter mark exceeds the 1999 amount for thesame period by $184 million,” said MMS Director Walter Rosenbusch.Last year’s total was $541 million.

The money represents the states’ cumulative share of revenue forminerals production, and it is distributed directly to statetreasuries to use without federal oversight. For most federallands, states and the federal government share the revenues, with50% going to the state directly. Only Alaska is given a 90% shareunder the Alaska Statehood Act. Certain coastal states with federaloffshore tracts adjacent to their seaward boundaries receive 27% ofthose royalties also.

Four states received more than 85% of the total: Wyoming, $250.8million; New Mexico, $182.4 million; Colorado, $32.5 million; andUtah, $26.3 million.

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