Oil and gas Production on Federal Lands Boosts Jobs and Revenues in Several Key States

Oil and gas production on public lands has increased significantly since President Trump took office. President Trump has opened up millions of acres of land administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for resource development. Drilling permits have increased almost 40 percent under the Trump administration, according to BLM data. Several states (e.g., New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado) have benefited from the increased activity on federal lands. Forty-eight percent of the revenue from lease sales goes to the state where the oil and gas activity is occurring for their roads, schools, and public services; the rest goes to the U.S. Treasury. If the leases result in producing oil or natural gas wells, revenue from royalties are also shared with the state. Despite the benefits of energy production on federal lands, many of the Democratic Party’s presidential candidates oppose it and the Democrats in the House of Representatives have proposed a bill to temporarily halt leases. Federal lands account for about a quarter of our nation’s oil, natural gas, and coal production. In 2018, oil production on federal lands was 815 million barrels, natural gas production was 4.2 trillion cubic feet, and coal production was 310 million tons.

U.S. Oil, Natural Gas and Coal Production on Federal Lands

Source: Department of Interior

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