Disposition of Receipts From Leases of Oil and Gas Rights Within the National Wildlife Refuge System

The agency requested a decision with regard to the disposition of receipts from leases of oil and gas rights within the National Wildlife Refuge System and administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Receipts from oil and gas leases on such lands, whether the lands were made part of the System by acquisition or by withdrawal from the public domain, are required to be disposed of pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 715s rather than pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act which generally prescribes the disposition of receipts from leases of mineral rights in the public lands because, to the extent that there is a conflict between the requirements of the statutes, the more recent one is controlling.