Below is a listing of BLM managed subsurface and surface acreage in the various
states.
This is a very important document as it shows the federal government's
disparate approach to control of subsurface mineral rights across the country.
For example, Texas, with 168 million acres has only 4.5 million acres of
federally controlled subsurface mineral rights, Oklahoma, with 44 million acres
has only 2.3 million acres of federally controlled subsurface mineral rights,
while New Mexico, with 77 million acres, has 36 million acres of federally
controlled subsurface mineral rights.
The result of this is that Texas and Oklahoma own, either publicly or
privately, the vast majority of the oil and gas production royalties and
therefore receive vastly more money than does New Mexico.
Only be setting up a Task Force is it possible for New Mexico to
challenge the federal government to release New Mexico's mineral rights or, at a minimum,
to return more of the 55% of the royalties the federal goverment keeps from our
school sections.
This document also reflects not only the desperate treatment of the western
states but as well the manner in which the federal government treats the "eastern
states" compared to the western states: Only 40 million acres of the 699 million
acres of mineral rights acreage across the country are within the "eastern
states."
While our Legislature is scrambling to find a way to increase the amount of
money available for education, a possible solution what would not require an
amendment to our constitution or an increase in taxes is right before our eyes, we need to request
an increase in the percent of royalties we receive from the school sections
while, at the same time, demanding additional school sections.
Of course, without a vehicle to drive this request, we may go another 100
years without increasing the money we need for education by other than tax
increases or withdrawing additional money from our permanent fund.
We need a Task Force to study this issue, along with many other issues.
How, other than by establishing a Task Force, can we realistically confront this
gross inequity?
MINERAL
AND SURFACE ACREAGE
MANAGED BY THE BLM
MANAGED BY THE BLM
State
|
Total State Acreage
|
Federal Minerals a
|
Federal Surface Landsb
|
BLM-Managed Public Lands d
|
||
Alaska
|
365.48
|
237.0
|
237.0
|
73.0
|
||
Arizona
|
72.69
|
35.8
|
33.0
|
12.2
|
||
California
|
100.21
|
47.5
|
45.0
|
15.3
|
||
Colorado
|
66.49
|
29.0
|
24.1
|
8.3
|
||
Eastern States
|
h
|
40.0
|
40.0
|
0.1
|
||
Hawaii
|
4.11
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
0.0
|
||
Idaho
|
52.93
|
36.5
|
33.1
|
11.6
|
||
Kansas
|
52.51
|
0.8
|
0.7
|
0.0
|
||
Montana
|
93.27
|
37.8
|
26.1
|
8. 0
|
||
Nebraska
|
49.03
|
0.7
|
0.7
|
0.1
|
||
Nevada
|
70.26
|
58.7
|
58.4
|
47.8
|
||
New Mexico
|
77.77
|
36.0
|
26.5
|
13.4
|
||
North
Dakota
|
44.45
|
5.6
|
1.1
|
0.1
|
||
Oklahoma
|
44.09
|
2.3
|
1.7
|
0.1
|
||
Oregon
|
61.60
|
33.9
|
32.4
|
16.1
|
||
South
Dakota
|
48.88
|
3.7
|
2.1
|
0.2
|
||
Texas
|
168.22
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
0.1
|
||
Utah
|
52.70
|
35.2
|
34.0
|
22.8
|
||
Washington
|
42.69
|
12.5
|
12.2
|
0.4
|
||
Wyoming
|
62.34
|
41.6
|
30.0
|
18.3
|
||
Total
|
1,529.72
|
699.7
|
643.2
|
247.9
|
