Minerals Management: Costs for Onshore Minerals Leasing Programs in Three States

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed whether the costs borne by Wyoming, New Mexico, and California for managing federal minerals were comparable to these states' own programs, focusing on: (1) how much the three states paid to the federal government for managing minerals on federal lands within their boundaries; (2) the costs to the three states for their own minerals management programs; (3) a comparison of these federal and state program costs; and (4) the activities that are associated with the federal and state programs.