Roosevelt County Receives Funds For Royalties

Roosevelt County ranks third in the state for funds allocated of federal royalties for 2026. Under the federal Mineral Lands Leasing Act, 50 percent of all sales, bonuses, royalties and rentals received from federal lands in Montana must be paid to the state. The revenue produced on federal public lands includes royalties and bonuses from oil, gas, coal and other mineral exploration and extraction.

Roosevelt County is receiving $677,560.58 in federal royalties.

Prior to oil activity increasing in the county, Roosevelt County Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said the county would receive about $200,000 annually.

Total monies received in Montana from federal royalties was $24,628,063.58. Of those funds, $6,157,015.90 was distributed to counties.

Oil-rich Richland County topped the counties with $2,259,685.08.

Big Horn, with a good amount of coal production, ranked second at $1,035,573.10.

Rosebud was fourth with an allocation of $563,958.37 and Fallon was fifth at $547,140.05.

Sheridan County received $10,977.86 and Valley County received $8,444.70.