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Glossary
8(g)
The 8(g) zone is the offshore region within three miles of a state shoreline. A portion (27%) of revenue from production in the 8(g) zone is distributed to the respective states that border the zone. The 8(g) zone is named for the section within the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that designates it.
Abandoned mine land fee
A fee for current day coal production that funds reclamation of mines abandoned before 1977.
Accounting year
This data is based on transactions that were reported to and accepted into ONRR’s financial system in a given a year. Since companies are allowed to adjust and correct data up to seven years after a transaction takes place, accounting year data can include corrections for sales that took place in previous years. This data is most useful when analyzing dollars ONRR collected and disbursed in a given year.
Acquired lands
Acquired lands are public lands that were obtained by the federal government through purchase, condemnation, gift, or exchange.
Acquisition fee
A fee for securing an uncompetitive lease in place of a bonus.
Annual fee
A yearly maintenance fee for maintaining a claim.
APD
Application for permit to drill
Appropriation
There are two main congressional actions that result in federal spending: authorization and appropriation. A fund or recipient may be authorized to receive money during the federal budget process, but Congress must still designate a specific amount to be distributed to the fund or recipient. This process is called “appropriation”.
Authorization
An act of Congress to obligate funding for a program or agency. An authorization may be effective for one year, a fixed number of years, or an indefinite period. An authorization may be for a definite amount of money or for 'such sums as may be necessary.' The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization and then appropriation.
Barrel
In the U.S., an oil barrel is defined as 42 US gallons, and abbreviated as bbl.
bbl
Abbreviation for a unit of measurement of oil. One bbl, or oil barrel, is defined as 42 US gallons.
Biomass
Organic nonfossil matter used as fuel. Sources of biomass include wood, wood waste products, biofuel, and many plant-based materials.
BLM
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and manages exploration, development, and production of natural resources on federal lands.
BOEM
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for managing the development of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
Bonus
The amount the highest bidder paid for a natural resource lease.
BSEE
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is charged with promoting safety, protecting the environment, and conserving resources offshore through regulatory oversight and enforcement.
Calendar year (CY)
The calendar year runs from January 1 through December 31. The two annual time periods for reporting data are calendar year and fiscal year.
Claim-staking fee
A fee that covers the government’s administrative costs in the claim-staking process for mining on federal lands.
Coastal political subdivision
A state's political subdivision, such as a county, parish, borough, or city. The political subdivision must be within the coastal zone as defined in the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.
Civil society
People and organizations not associated with industry or government, such as trade unions, issue-based coalitions, faith-based organizations, indigenous-peoples movements, the media, think tanks, and foundations.
Crude oil
Oil is that is not treated or refined.
Direct use
Geothermal energy (hot water near the surface of the earth) can be used directly for heating buildings, drying crops, heating water, and other industrial processes.
Disbursement
After collecting revenue from natural resource extraction, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) distributes that money to different agencies, funds, and local governments for public use. This process is called “disbursement.”
Dry natural gas
Natural gas that remains after removing the liquefiable hydrocarbon portion from the gas stream (i.e., gas after lease, field, or plant separation) and after removing any quantities of nonhydrocarbon gases that render the gas unmarketable.
DOI
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet-level agency responsible for managing America’s natural and cultural resources.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
A document intended to provide decision makers and the public with information about the potential impacts of major federal actions and alternatives to them. Federal agencies prepare an EIS if a proposed federal action is determined to significantly affect the quality of the human environment, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
EITI Standard
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Standard is an international standard for openness around the management of revenue from natural resources. Governments disclose how much they receive from extractive companies operating in their country and these companies disclose how much they pay. Governments sign up to implement the EITI Standard and must meet seven requirements. In 2017, the U.S. withdrew from EITI as an Implementing Country, but remains committed to institutionalizing the EITI principles of transparency and accountability.
Extractive industry
Oil, gas, and mining industries that extract natural resources.
Fair market value
The estimated price for a natural resource lease, based on the government’s analysis and the geological resources on the lands or waters.
Federal land
Lands and waters owned by the federal government, including public domain lands, acquired lands, and the Outer Continental Shelf.
Fiscal year (FY)
The federal government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. The two annual time periods for reporting data are calendar year and fiscal year.
Fossil fuel
An energy source formed in the Earth’s crust from decayed organic material. Common fossil fuels include oil, gas, and coal.
Fractionation
The division of ownership among multiple individuals.
GOMESA
The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006 directs a portion of revenue from gulf oil and gas royalties to the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The act also directs a portion of gulf revenue be disbursed to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Gross domestic product (GDP)
A measure of the total value of goods and services produced in a specific area. The Bureau of Economic Analysis measures GDP by adding up the “real value added” for each industry that contributes to the U.S. economy.
Hydraulic fracturing
A well development process that involves injecting water under high pressure into a bedrock formation through the well, to increase the size and extent of existing bedrock fractures.
IMDA
The Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982, which increased Indian self-governance concerning extraction.
Independent Administrator (IA)
The EITI International Board requires participating countries to appoint an Independent Administrator to help apply the international standards. The USEITI Independent Administrator is Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Indian lands
Lands owned by Native Americans, including tribal lands held in trust by the federal government for a tribe’s use, Indian allotments held in trust by the federal government for individual use, and lands held by Alaska Native corporations.
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
A measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour; abbreviated as kWh.
kWh
Abbreviation for “kilowatt hour,” a measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides matching grants to states and local governments to buy and develop public outdoor recreation areas across the 50 states.
Lease
A contract that allows a company to be the exclusive entity that can apply to explore for and extract natural resources within a specific tract of federal lands or waters.
Lease condensate
Light liquid hydrocarbons recovered from oil and natural gas wells during production.
Locatable minerals
Locatable minerals are minerals that may be “located” and obtained by filing a mining claim. Locatable minerals include gold, silver, copper, lead, and many other metallic and nonmetallic minerals.
long ton
A long ton (also known as “imperial ton” or “displacement ton”) is 2,240 pounds, compared to a conventional ton (or “short ton”), which is 2,000 pounds.
Margin of variance
The percentage difference that the USEITI Multi-Stakeholder Group defined as significant for each revenue type as part of the reconciliation process.
Material variance
A discrepancy between government-reported and company-reported revenue payments that is considered significant by the Independent Administrator. Margins of variance vary by revenue type, and were approved by the Multi-Stakeholder Group as part of the USEITI process.
mcf
1000 cubic feet, a unit of measure for natural gas.
Megawatt Capacity (MC) fee
A revenue payment for the calculated value of electricity generated on federal lands.
Megawatt hours
One megawatt is equivalent to one million watts. One megawatt hour (abbreviated as Mwh) is equivalent to 1,000 Kilowatt hours.
Metric ton
One metric ton is equal to 2240 pounds. To convert metric tons to tons, multiply by 1.1023. To convert tons to metric tons, multiply by 0.9072.
Millage tax
A millage tax is a property tax based on the assessed value of a property. Millage tax rates are quantified in terms of mills: One mill is worth 1/1000 of a dollar, or $0.001.
Mill levy
A mill levy is calculated by determining how much revenue each taxing jurisdiction will need for the upcoming year, then dividing that projection by the total value of the property within the area.
Mill rate
A mill rate is the amount of tax payable per dollar on the assessed value of a property. Each mill is worth one-tenth of a cent, or $0.001.
Mineral acres
Sometimes the land’s surface owner is different from the owner of the minerals in the ground below. For instance, a state might retain mineral rights when it sells or swaps land.
Mineral resource potential
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, mineral resource potential is the likelihood for the occurrence of undiscovered mineral resources in a defined area.
Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG)
A cross-sector body comprised of members and alternates from government, industry, and civil society organizations commissioned by the Secretary of the Interior to guide and monitor EITI implementation.
Natural gas liquids (NGL)
Natural gas liquids, such as ethane, propane, and butane, are byproducts of wet natural gas. These liquid hydrocarbons are separated from the gas stream close to the well or at a processing plant.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
The standard used by federal agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. economy.
ONRR
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for collecting, disbursing, and verifying federal and Indian energy and other natural resource revenue.
Operating fee
A fee for a percentage of the anticipated value of wind energy produced on federal waters.
Outer Continental Shelf
The part of the continental shelf under federal jurisdiction, seaward of the line that marks state ownership, often three miles off a state’s coastline.
OSMRE
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for regulating surface coal mining in the United States, as well as funding the restoration of abandoned coal mines.
OST
The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) is part of the Department of the Interior and is responsible for stewardship of assets held in trust on behalf of American Indians.
Paying quantities
Quantities of oil or gas that are sufficient to yield a profit to the lease holder over operating expenses, even though the drilling costs or equipping costs are never recovered, and even if the undertaking as a whole may result in a loss to the lease holder.
Petroleum products
Products come from processing crude oil (including lease condensate), natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. These include unfinished oils, liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas, and miscellaneous products.
Play
A group of oil and gas fields in the same region formed by the same geological processes.
Private lands
Lands owned by citizens or corporations.
Production
We use the term “production” as a catch-all term for mining, drilling, energy generation, and other forms of natural resource extraction. There is no distinction between “extraction” and “production” in ONRR or EIA datasets.
Proved reserves
Quantities of natural resources that, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be commercially recoverable from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations.
Public domain lands
Public domain lands are lands that have belonged to the federal government since they were obtained from the 13 original colonies, from Native American tribes, or through purchases from other countries, and have not been dedicated to a specific use.
Reclamation
The process of restoring the surface environment to acceptable pre-existing conditions, including surface contouring, equipment removal, well plugging, and revegetation.
Rent
An annual payment for leasing lands or waters before production starts.
Renewable energy
Energy resources that are virtually inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time. These include biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action energy.
Resource advisory council (RAC)
A group of 12 to 15 members with diverse interests in local communities, such as ranchers, environmental groups, tribes, state and local government officials, academics, and other public land users.
Royalty
A payment for extracted natural resources, determined by a percentage of the resources’ production value.
Standard Occupation Classification
A system used by federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.
State or local lands
Lands owned by state or local governments.
Split estate
A land parcel that has surface rights and subsurface rights (such as the rights to develop minerals) owned by different parties.
Subsurface rights
A lease holder’s right to use as much of the land beneath the surface as necessary to operate under the lease.
Subsurface mining
Underground mining, which has different and more labor intensive techniques than surface mining.
Surface rights
A leaseholder’s right to use as much of the surface of the land as necessary to operate under the lease.
Tax expenditures
Revenue lossess attributed to provisions of federal tax laws that allow a special exclusion, exemption, or deduction from gross income, or which provide a special credit, a preferential rate of tax, or a deferral of tax liability.
Tickets/pounds
Some minerals, such as quartz crystal, are sold in relatively small quantities in gift shops and tourist attractions. In some cases, tourists can buy admission tickets to dig for their own minerals. For those transactions, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue may collect royalties on the admission tickets, not on the weight of minerals collected. Furthermore, some minerals are sold by quality, not by weight. The unit “tickets/pounds” shows quantities measured in both tickets sold and weight sold, combined.
Ton
In the U.S., one ton is 2,000 pounds. In some countries this is referred to as a short ton.
Trust land
Land for which the federal government holds title to the land but the beneficial interest remains with a Native American individual or tribe.
Unorganized land
In Alaska, over half of land is not contained in any of its 19 organized boroughs. This land (collectively called the Unorganized Borough) is divided into 10 census areas for statistical purposes.
Variance floor
During the reconciliation process, only variances between reported numbers that exceed a minimum dollar amount are investigated by the Independent Administrator.
Wet gas
Natural gas that hasn’t been treated to remove liquid hydrocarbons or other nonhydrocarbons that make the gas unmarketable.
Withheld
We refer to data as “withheld” when publishing that data could violate federal laws and regulations. Most commonly, we withhold data if it can be used to personally identify individuals, or if the data is protected by the Trade Secrets Act. In the latter case, data is often withheld when there is only one company producing a specific commodity within a specific region. We withhold all location data for Native American production, revenue, and disbursements.
The Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation Program uses fees paid by present-day coal mining companies to reclaim coal mines abandoned before 1977. This makes these areas safer for people and the environment. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977, as amended, created this program. Provisions of the act set standards for today's coal companies as they reclaim past mining areas while they mine others and post bonds to cover the cost if unable to reclaim current coal mines.
Abandoned mine land areas
Abandoned mines pose risks to people and the environment. They can contaminate ground water, emit toxic waste, and cause injury when unsteady infrastructures collapse.
Priority reclamation sites
State and tribal AML programs rank abandoned mine land problems on a priority scale of 1 to 3 as defined by federal law. Mine pollution problems ranked 1 and 2 are high priority and are addressed first, with a few exceptions.
Priority 1: Protection of public health, safety, and property from extreme danger of adverse effects of coal mining practices pre-1977, including restoration of land, water, and the environment
Priority 2: Protection of public health and safety from adverse effects of coal mining practices pre-1977, including restoration of land, water, and the environment
Priority 3: Restoration of land and water resources and the environment previously degraded by adverse effects of coal mining practices pre-1977
Map of sites
To see AML data by location, visit the OSMREdata site and click on 'Mapping' in the navigation bar.
To see data by completed, funded, and unfunded sites, click on 'Summary.'
Areas undergoing or requiring reclamation
The federal AML Reclamation Program distributes funds for reclamation to the state and tribal AML programs with remaining Priority 1 and 2 sites.
State and tribal AML programs use funds to prepare for reclamation projects, including:
permitting processes
environmental assessments
site surveys
development of reclamation plans
After completing project preparation, funds are used for construction to reclaim the site.
OSMRE is required to report measurable goals to Congress. One of their key measures is the number of abandoned mine land acres reclaimed.
Revenue and disbursements
Fees paid by coal mine operators fund the AML Reclamation Program.
Congress set the current rates when the fee was extended in the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, lowering the rates 20% from the original amounts set in 1977.
Since passage of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, distribution of AML grants are mandatory. Prior to 2006, distribution was subject to Congress' annual appropriations process.
The amount states and tribes receive each year in annual payments varies depending on the fees collected during the previous fiscal year (i.e., this fiscal year's fees fund next fiscal year's grants).
The statute requires the government to distribute AML Reclamation Program funds collected during the previous fiscal year as follows:
State and tribal share: Non-certified states receive 50% of the AML revenue originating from coal production in their states. This accounts for 50% of overall distribution of AML fees in a given year. Certified states receive amounts equal to their respective share grant totals sourced from the Treasury's General Fund.
Historic coal share: 30% of overall AML fees go toward Historic Coal Grants for non-certified states. OSMRE allocates Historic Coal grants based on each state's percentage of coal tonnage produced prior to 1977. Congress created Historic Coal grants so that states with large numbers of abandoned mines, but little current coal production, would not be left without funds to reclaim them.
Federal expense share (including minimum program make-up grants): 20% of AML fees goes toward federal expenditures. These funds must first be used to fund Minimum Program Make-Up grants to non-certified states. These ensure that non-certified states receive at least $3 million a year or the amount necessary to reclaim their remaining high priority AML areas, whichever is lower. OSMRE uses the remaining amount to fund operations, emergency projects, and other efforts.
State and tribal AML programs use funds to prepare for reclamation through an extensive permitting process, environmental assessments, site surveys, and the development of reclamation plans. Generally, states and tribes must reclaim all Priority 1 and 2 coal sites before using AML funds on Priority 3 coal sites, but a number of exceptions exist.
The states that received the largest grants from OSMRE in 2017 were:
When a state or tribe has reclaimed high priority coal AML areas, they may be eligible for "certification." Once certified, the source of their funds from OSMRE changes; instead of receiving AML grants, they receive funds from the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury. These funds can be used for other purposes, including reclaiming abandoned hardrock mine sites. A certified state or tribe may still have abandoned coal mine areas to reclaim.
Prior to 2006, companies often paid more money into the AML fund each year than Congress chose to appropriate. A large, unappropriated balance grew over time.
Growth of the AML fund's unappropriated balance
Interest on the fund
In 1990, Congress authorized the federal government to invest the unappropriated balance in U.S. Treasury Securities. Since then, the unappropriated balance has earned $1.5 billion in interest. Since 1996, almost all of the interest on the AML fund has gone toward paying a portion of the cost for some health care plans for the United Mine Workers of America.
Congress resolved to pay states' and tribes' unappropriated balance out in the form of "Prior Balance Replacement Grants," which pay states and tribes 50% of what companies operating in their jurisdictions paid into the AML Fund from 2008–2014. Payments were made over 7 years in equal, annual installments.
OSMRE paid states and tribes a collective total of $1.3 billion in roughly equal installments over the course of seven years. This money did not come directly from the AML Fund, but was sourced directly from the Treasury's General Fund.
The fund today
As of September 2017, the fund's balance stood at $2.4 billion. The reauthorization for AML fees expires in fiscal year 2021. The unappropriated balance has been divided into different allocations to be used starting in fiscal year 2023, as follows:
Allocation of unappropriated balance
Historic coal share: 68.3%
Federal expense share (subject to congressional appropriation): 19.9%
State and tribal share: 10.7%
Reserve for United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) health care plans and retirement funds: 5.1%
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