Contacts: Cody Wertz, Sen. Salazar: (303) 350-0032
Eric Wortman, Rep. Salazar: (202) 225-4761
Heather Fox, Rep. Udall: (202) 225-2161
Salazars, Udall Fight Federal Government to Ensure State Gets Fair Share of Oil, Gas Leasing Revenues
WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar and Representatives John Salazar and Mark Udall introduced legislation today to restore Colorado’s share of oil and gas leasing revenue.
The 2008 omnibus appropriations bill includes a provision, based on a Bush Administration proposal, to reduce from 50% to 48% the share of total royalties paid to Colorado and other states. The Salazar-Udall-Salazar legislation repeals this money grab and restores each state’s share to its full, co-equal 50% of mineral leasing revenues. The Salazar-Udall-Salazar legislation is available by clicking here.
“I have told the Administration that I will not stand by and allow the federal government to take oil and gas leasing revenues intended to help the communities of Colorado,” said Senator Salazar. “The language ‘slipped’ into the omnibus spending bill late last year that reduced the state’s share of oil and gas leasing revenues is another way the federal government wants to pilfer money from Colorado and other western states. This is a wrong that must be corrected and our legislation does just that.”
“I am honored to work with my brother and Rep. Udall to fight this misguided decision by the Bush Administration to cut Colorado’s share of oil and gas leasing revenue,” said Rep. Salazar. “Coloradans are on the forefront of oil and gas development and the state deserves its fair share of leasing revenue to address the impacts development has on our schools, land, and roads.”
"Colorado's western slope is experiencing the effects of increased oil and gas development," said Rep. Udall. "These funds are seriously needed to address these impacts and maintain a quality of life in these communities. That is why such a reduction in funds makes no sense, and I am pleased to work with Senator Salazar and Rep. Salazar to correct this funding allocation reduction."
In early January, Reps. Salazar and Udall teamed with Sen. Salazar to outline their vision for oil and gas development on Colorado’s Western Slope. Introduction of the Salazar-Udall-Salazar legislation marks the first step in those efforts and additional measures will be introduced in the coming days to address the Anvil Points trust fund and the Roan Plateau.
Also, in June of last year and again in January this year Senator Salazar joined with Republican and Democratic Senators and Representatives from Western states in opposing a reduction in the states’ share of receipts from mineral leasing activities on public domain lands by two percent annually. In the January letter the Senators and Representatives wrote,
It is unconscionable that the department of the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget would propose to take money from states used to pay for important priorities, including educational improvements, to pay for more program administration. This appropriation does not serve the taxpayers who fund the government nor does it serve the states who allow for energy production to happen within their borders.
The letters to the both the Chairs of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies of the Senate Appropriations Committee and to the Department of Interior are available by clicking here.
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