BLM distributes almost $14 million for tax exempt lands

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

The Bureau of Land Management said it began sending payments of almost $14 million to 27 local Alaska governments June 28 in accordance with the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Act.

This year Alaska will receive $13,969,645 in payments in lieu of taxes based on 237,718,650 entitlement acres, BLM said, an increase of $628,242 from last year.

The BLM payments are intended to offset the loss of tax revenue to states and localities caused by tax-exempt federal land within their jurisdictions.

The Matanuska Susitna Borough received the most, $1,585,149, followed by the Kenai Peninsula Borough, $1,579,494, and Juneau City and Borough, $1,067,461.