POGO's Comment on Salazar Ending RIK

Today, Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a hearing before the House Natural Resources Committee that it is time to end the Royalty in Kind program. RIK is supposed to collect oil and gas royalties from drilling on federal lands, but has failed miserably. Salazar is ending the program through administrative action.

“Secretary Salazar’s testimony today is a big step to finally ending this gift to industry, and POGO congratulates him for taking this stand. The next important step is ensuring Congress puts the final nail in the RIK coffin so it doesn’t rise again.”

POGO’s Executive Director Danielle Brian