| As Washington struggles to address the country's growing deficit, a new report released today finds that the federal government has lost its grip on finances in a different way.
An analysis from the Government Accountability Office reveals that the government does not keep track of the amount and value of hardrock minerals -- gold, silver, copper, etc. -- mined on public lands that are being given away to private companies. Because the government does not collect royalties on these minerals, it claims there is no reason to keep track of this information: We found that federal agencies generally do not collect data from hardrock mine operators on the amount and value of hardrock minerals extracted from federal lands because there is no federal royalty that would necessitate doing so. |
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At thinkprogress.org
At thinkprogress.org
