***For Immediate Release***
Contact: Bo Ollison, 713-524-2388 bollison@consumerenergyalliance.org

Statement by the Energy Producing States Coalition Executive Committee on the Department of the Interior’s Theft of State Mineral Royalty Payments

“The recent notification to States of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) intention to withhold more than $109 million in mineral royalties as a result of the sequestration is a purely political decision by the Obama Administration that clearly disregards the intent of the Budget Control Act. The Mineral Leasing Act is the negotiated process for guaranteed fair sharing of energy resources developed in the States on public lands.  These royalties are used by States to fund necessary items, such as public school systems, community colleges, emergency response activities and basic infrastructure projects. States have as much of a right to these revenues as the federal government.

“This federal budgetary slight-of-hand is designed solely to shift additional financial burdens on Statesby reducing their guaranteed share of mineral royalties so the federal government can continue to feed its spending addiction.  The mineral royalties will still be paid to the federal government, but withheld to the states.  That’s not sequestration.  It’s called theft.  

The members of the Energy Producing States Coalition adamantly oppose this draconian policy decision and will not stand idly by while federal bureaucrats reach into the pockets of our States and inflict harm on the American public we serve. We will be submitting letters to Congressional Committees expressing our opposition, encouraging our State Attorney Generals to seek legal remedies, and we encourage our membership to educate their State and Congressional leaders, counties and school districts and other constituents negatively affected by this sequestration decision.”

Rep. Roger Barrus (UT), Chairman, Energy Producing States Coalition

Sen. Cathy Giessel (AK), Chairman-Elect, Energy Producing States Coalition

Speaker Thomas Lubnau (WY), Immediate Past Chairman, Energy Producing States Coalition

The Executive Committee of the Energy Producing States Coalition

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The Energy Producing States Coalition (EPSC) is a group of like-minded state legislators working together to develop positions and areas of common interest on policies and issues that affect domestic energy production and transmission. The group was founded in 2011 and currently includes legislators representing Alaska, Colorado, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These legislators work together to develop and advocate for sound public policy in areas of shared interests between energy producing states.