DALLAS — The U.S. Department of Interior disbursed $13.4 billion generated by energy production on federal land to states and tribes in fiscal year 2014, a 5.6% decrease from the previous year, officials said.
Wyoming led all states with $1 billion, followed by New Mexico at $579 million, Utah at $171 million, Colorado at $169 million, and California at $100 million.
North Dakota received $68 million followed by Montana at $38 million, Louisiana at $24 million, Alaska at $20 million, and Texas with $12 million.
The disbursements also included more than $1 billion to American Indian tribes and individual Indian mineral owners, marking the first time disbursements from energy production on American Indian lands topped $1 billion.
The Interior Department distributes energy revenues to state, local, and federal accounts to support reclamation, conservation, recreation and historic preservation projects. Local governments apply the revenues to meet a variety of needs, ranging from school funding to infrastructure improvements and water conservation projects.
"This year's disbursements continue to reflect significant energy production from public and tribal lands in the United States," said Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said in the December report.
Included in the state disbursements is $4.1 million sent directly to 37 individual counties in eight states from geothermal energy production. State disbursements also include $4.3 million to four coastal states and 42 eligible political subdivisions (counties and parishes) under provisions of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.
In 2013, the department disbursed more than $14.2 billion — a $2 billion or 17% increase over the previous year.
