1.

How much money is collected each year by the Office of Natural Resources Revenue?

2.

Why do collection totals vary from year to year?

3.

Where does the money go?

4.

Which U.S. Treasury accounts?

5.

How much money goes directly to states?

6.

What happens with the money that goes to states?

7.

How much money is collected for mineral development on Indian lands?

8.

Who makes up the ONRR workforce?

9.

Who arranges mineral leases on federal lands?

10.

My family owns land that has been producing oil for several years. Can I examine ONRR's records on this land?

11.

How can I get more information about the ONRR?

1.

How much money is collected each year by the Office of Natural Resources Revenue?
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue -- and its predecessor agency the Minerals Revenue Management Program – has collected and disbursed more than $210 billion since the program was originally created in 1982.  Collections and disbursements averaged $7.5 billion during the last 28 years.  In Fiscal Year 2009, the program disbursed $10.7 billion.
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2.

Why do collection totals vary from year to year?
Collection totals may fluctuate with the price of energy commodities, the amount of production that occurs, and the number of lease sales, which generate revenues in the form of bonuses and rents.
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3.

Where does the money go?
Federal law requires that all monies derived from mineral leasing and production activities on Federal and American Indian lands be collected, properly accounted for, and distributed.  For Federal onshore lands, the revenues are generally shared between the states in which the Federal lands are located and the Federal government.  In the case of American Indian lands, all monies collected from mineral production are returned to the Indian Tribes or individual Indian mineral lease owners.  Revenues associated with Federal offshore lands are distributed to several accounts of the U.S. Treasury and certain coastal states with special Federal offshore tracts adjacent to their seaward boundaries.
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4.

Which U.S. Treasury accounts?
The General Fund for government operations; the Reclamation Fund for water projects in the West, which provides revenues to build, maintain and operate water and associated power projects on arid and semi-arid Western lands; the National Historic Preservation Fund (http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/HPF/), which provides matching grants to states for historic site acquisition and restoration; and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/lwcf/pub.htm ), which assists state and local governments with outdoor recreational development and purchases of federal park and recreation land.
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5.

How much money goes directly to states?
States receive nearly 50 percent of the revenues associated with mineral production on Federal public lands within their borders.  Alaska is the one exception, which receives a 90 percent share.  Coastal states, with certain Federal offshore 8(g) tracts adjacent to their seaward boundaries, receive 27 percent of the revenues.  In Fiscal Year 2009, 35 states received approximately $1.9 billion.  States receive payments on a monthly basis, as revenues are collected.
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6.

What happens with the money that goes to states?
The money is used as the states deem necessary, and support important local programs.  Many states use the revenues to fund education, including higher education.  Others use the revenues for critical infrastructure improvements, road projects, public buildings or general operations.  Certain funds are to be used by states for coastal conservation, restoration, and hurricane protection.
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7.

How much money is collected for mineral development on Indian lands?
In Fiscal Year 2009, more than $449 million was collected and disbursed to American Indian Tribes and individual Indian mineral owners. With the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the ONRR administers mineral revenues for mineral-producing Indian Tribes and nearly 30,000 individual Indian mineral lease owners.  There are approximately 4,200 producing or producible Indian leases.
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8.

Who makes up the ONRR workforce?
The ONRR workforce comprises approximately 600 Federal employees including accountants, auditors, computer specialists, engineers, geologists, economists and other professions.  Nearly 100 contractor employees augment various aspects of the workforce.
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9.

Who arranges mineral leases on federal lands?
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulations and Enforcement administers Federal offshore leasing.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the Federal bureau within the Department of the Interior that administers onshore public lands and natural resources. The BLM programs provide for the protection, orderly development, and use of the public lands and resources under principles of multiple use and sustained yield.  In addition to its surface management responsibilities, BLM is also responsible for onshore leasing and associated operational functions such as approving permits for drilling and production operations, diligence, drainage, production verification, onsite inspections, and enforcement.

Depending upon the location of an onshore lease, BLM may not be the surface management agency.  Other agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, may be responsible for surface management.  In these cases BLM is still the leasing agency, responsible for related operational approvals.
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10.

My family owns land that has been producing oil for several years. Can I examine ONRR's records on this land?
The ONRR does not maintain records on private lands.
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11.

How can I get more information about the Office of Natural Resources Revenue?
For additional information contact Patrick Etchart at (303)231-3162, or E-mail, Patrick Etchart@boerme.gov.

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