Oil, Gas, and Coal Resources on Federal Lands Background and Fair Value Issues

Production of oil and natural gas from leases on federal lands and waters is an important part of the nation's energy portfolio and a significant source of revenue for the federal government. This book examines steps Interior has taken to ensure the public receives a fair return on oil and gas resources since 2007. It also examines the number of tracts leased, along with the trends in associated coal production and revenues generated since 1990; BLM's implementation of the process to estimate fair market value for coal leases; the extent to which BLM considers coal exports and domestic coal reserve estimates when estimating fair market value; and the extent to which BLM communicates information on federal coal lease sales to the public.