Learn More in Natural Resources

Taxpayer Risks with the Loan Guarantee Program

The Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantee program carries extremely high taxpayer risk, potentially jeopardizing billions of taxpayer dollars if energy project loans default....

Oil Shale: Failing Taxpayers for Decades

Since the early 20th century, the federal government and private industry have attempted to commercialize oil shale but after years of...

Subsidizing Oil Shale: Tracing Federal Support for Oil Shale Development in the United States

With fiscal cliff looming, TCS calls for end to government handouts for failed oil shale experiments....

Loan Guarantee Program 101

A basic primer on the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program and answers general questions on the history, administration, and overall effect of the program....

Green Scissors Campaign 101

A basic primer on the Green Scissors campaign and answers general questions about the history and goals of the coalition....

Sliding Past Sequestration: $2 Trillion in Common Sense Cuts to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff

In the summer of 2011, Congress sent the President a bill that acknowledged failure. Instead of swallowing hard and coming up with...

Coal Industry Profits

For centuries the federal government has been in the business of providing billions in subsidies to coal companies in order to ensure...

Sandy Supplemental Data

As Washington debates the merits of a supplemental spending bill in response to superstorm Sandy, this database lists of all the spending...

Common Sense Cuts

Taxpayers for Common Sense has been working hard to meet the challenge of that the so-called Super Committee is facing - $1.2-1.5...

Super Cuts for the Super Committee

Taxpayers for Common Sense has been working hard to meet the challenge of that the so-called Super Committee is facing - $.12-1.5...

Green Scissors 2011

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined environmental, consumer watchdog, and free-market groups today to release Green Scissors 2011, which...

Myth v. Fact: Oil and Gas Companies’ Effective Tax Rate

Oil and gas companies have complained that they pay an effective tax rate of 41%....

Big Oil, Big Corn: An in-depth look at the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit

Big Oil, Big Corn: An in-depth look at the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit Corn has been subsidized since the 1930s, but it was...

Common Sense Cuts—$900 billion in savings over 10 years

The time has come for Congress to begin a serious discussion about how it is going to correct the current budgetary path into deeper and...

TCS reaction to Sen. Manchin (D-WV) Statement on Coal Subsidies

We all know that lawmakers are allowed the occasional stretching of the truth, but at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources...

Fair Market Value for Wind and Solar Development on Public Land

A review and analysis of the laws and regulations governing the collection and use of revenues from commercial energy development on federal lands and is a guide for policy-makers to use in developing appropriate policies for wind and solar energy projects....

Solar Development Train Leaving the Station, Without Congress

Congress’ failure to make any progress on energy policy this session is costing taxpayers....

Green Scissors 2010

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a number of environmental and consumer groups and a bipartisan slate of Representatives today in...

Mining Companies Enchanted by New Mexico Giveaways

New Mexico is one of the most heavily mined states in the country, producing large amounts of perlite, copper, and other hardrock...

Arizona Public Lands in Mining Company Hands

Arizona is one of the most heavily mined states in the country, producing large amounts of copper, silver and other hardrock minerals....

Obama to Contractors: Don’t Cheat Uncle Sam

It was payback time for President Obama this week when he threw down the gauntlet to tax-dodging contractors.Taxpayers pay contractors...

The Percentage Depletion Allowance (PDA): A Double Giveaway for Hardrock Mining Companies

For decades, hardrock mining companies have benefited from generous tax breaks at the expense of taxpayers, all the while extracting...

More than 161,000 Abandoned Mines in the West

A recent GAO report found that there are at least 161,000 abandoned mines in western states. The research, conducted in the states of...

Royalties from Hardrock Mining on State Lands as High as 12%

In a recent analysis on hardrock mining, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that among twelve western states, all assess...

Lastest List of House Members Supporting Mining Reform

Early this year, Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV) introduced H.R. 699, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009. H.R. 699 would...

TCS Comments on Senate Hearing on Reform of 1872 Mining Law

"We are pleased that Senator Bingaman has begun the process of engaging the Senate in reforming the Mining Act of 1872 by introducing S.796...

Failing Salmon Recovery Efforts are Costing Taxpayers Billions

Over the last two decades, federal agencies have spent more than $8 billion on efforts to restore salmon to the Columbia and Snake River...

Water Infrastructure Spending in the House Economic Stimulus

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructs large water projects (dams, levees, pumping sand on beaches)...

Tongass Timber Plan Plunders Taxpayer Pockets

Download a pdf version of this factsheet   SUPPORT THE ANDREWS-CHABOT AMENDMENT TO CUT ROAD-BUILDING SUBSIDIES Since 1982, the Forest...

Official TCS Comments on Oil Shale Management - Proposed Rule

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule for Oil Shale Management. Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is a non-partisan...

FY2009 Appropriations Bills: TCS Analyses and Earmark Databases

The following are links to TCS's analysis and database for each of the FY09 appropriations bills. (Note: With the exception of House...

Royalty-in-Kind:  A Costly Complication

Under intense pressure from the oil and natural gas industry, the Minerals Management Service (MMS)1 started the Royalty-in-Kind (RIK)...

Utah Hardrock Mining Fact Sheet

Utah Mining Giveaways Under the 135 year old Mining Law of 1872, valuable taxpayer lands and minerals are virtually given away to...

Bipartisan Group of Senators Call for Taxpayer Protections in New Mining Law

Washington, D.C. – Today Senators Feingold (D-WI), Sununu (R-NH), Cantwell (D-WA), and Gregg (R-NH) led a bi-partisan push for the...

Hardrock Mining Royalty ﾖ Fair to Taxpayers, Fair to Industry

  Fair Compensation for Taxpayers For more than 8 decades the coal, oil, and natural gas industries have all paid royalties for the right...

Golden Fleece Award

From surfing subsidies to the Great Wall of Bedford, Indiana, Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire’s Golden Fleece Award protected...

Testimony before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Reform of 1872 Mining Law

  Good morning Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Domenici, members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you...

Support H.R. 2262 and Reform of General Mining Law of 1872

End a 135 Year Old Taxpayer Giveaway Support the Reform of the General Mining Law of 1872 Vote “YES” on H.R. 2262   Dear...

TCS Applauds Amendment Securing Royalty Reforms in Mining Legislation

TCS Applauds Hinchey Amendment Securing Royalty Reforms in Mining Legislation Washington, DC -- The following is a written statement by Ms....

New Mexico Hardrock Mining Fact Sheet

Mine Companies Enchanted by New Mexico Giveaways Under the 135 year old Mining Law of 1872, valuable taxpayer lands and minerals are...

Hardrock Mines on Federal Lands Provide No Return to Taxpayers

Overview Under the General Mining Law of 1872, mining companies pay no royalties to the federal government for hardrock minerals extracted...

H.R. 2262 Fact Sheet

H.R. 2262 Provides Overdue Mining Reforms Mining Industry Struck Gold with Century-Old Giveaways One hundred and thirty-five years ago,...

Written Testimony of Steve Ellis before Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee House Committee on Natural Resources Hearing on H.R. 2262

Good morning Chairman Costa, Ranking Member Pearce, members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify this morning on H.R....

Oral Testimony of Steve Ellis before Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee House Committee on Natural Resources Hearing on H.R. 2262

Good morning Chairman Costa, Ranking Member Pearce, members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify this morning on H.R....

Itﾒs Time to Change Outdated Mining Law

Dear Representative, The law that governs precious metal mining on federal land is 135 years old and it is time for it to be updated. Rep....

Stop Taxypayer-Funded Subsidies for Tongass Logging Roads: Support Andrews/Chabot Amendment

Dear Member of Congress: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action) urges you to support Representative Robert Andrews’ (D-NJ) and...

Stop Taxypayer-Funded Subsidies for Tongass Logging Roads

Dear Blue Dog Caucus Member: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action) commends you and the Blue Dog Caucus for drawing attention to...

Letter to Blue Dogs: Stop Taxpayer-Funded Subsidies for Tongass Logging Roads

May 14, 2007 Dear Blue Dog Caucus Member: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action) commends you and the Blue Dog Caucus for drawing...

Cosponsor the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act

Dear Member of Congress: Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan, budget watchdog group, urges you to co-sponsor the National Forest...

Ten Common Sense Reforms for the Army Corps of Engineers

AMERICAN RIVERS · EARTHJUSTICE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND · ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE · FRIENDS OF THE EARTH · MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN ALLIANCE ·...

Forest Service Flunks Fiscal Audit

Washington, D.C. - The following is a prepared statement by Franz Matzner, Senior Policy Analyst at Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the...

1872 Mining Law Patenting Fact Sheet

The Claim-Patent System: Fueling a 135-Year Heist of Public Lands The claim-patent system serves as the basis for hardrock mineral...

An Open Letter to the United States House of Representatives: Vote ‘Yes’ on the Chabot Amendment to End Tongass Logging Subsidies

Dear Representative:     On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we strongly urge you to support Representative Steve Chabot’s...

Oppose H.R. 4200 Emergency Recovery and Research Act: Accelerating Timber Salvage Sales Will Put Taxpayers on the Express Lane to Further Losses

May 1, 2006 Dear Representative: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action) strongly urges you to oppose H.R. 4200, the Emergency...

500 Alaska Fisherman Endorse Removal of Four Dams

Contact: Kathleen McNeilly (202) 546-8500 x128 or Eric Jordan 907-747-6743   WASHINGTON, D.C. - More than 500 Alaska fishermen have...

Grazing on Federal Lands

Federal grazing programs managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) cost taxpayers more than $100...

Oppose Budget Reconciliationﾒs Public Land Giveaways

Dear Budget Committee Member,  Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action), a non-partisan budget watchdog, urges you to strip Subtitle...

Oppose OCS, Shale Provisions in Budget Reconciliation; Support the Udall Amendment to Strike Public Land Giveaways

Dear Resources Committee Member,  Taxpayers for Common Sense Action, a national non-partisan budget watchdog, is concerned with several...

Banking on the Future

Investing in Smart Water Strategies for Pennsylvania and the Nation...

Senate Opportunity Lost: Senators Opt Not to Chop Timber Subsidies in the Tongass

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement from Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: The U.S. Senate...

Rip-Off in Big Cypress: How the Department of the Interior attempted to orchestrate one of the worst land deals in history

By: John Nohlgren On May, 29th 2002, President George W. Bush and his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, together announced the...

TCS Statement on the Derailment of the Tongass Forest Subsidy Amendment

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement from Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: Taxpayers lost big...

Lawmakers Axing Roadless Rule Costs Taxpayers

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the administration...

Stop Uranium Subsidies from Fouling Up the Energy Bill Support the Udall Amendment

Dear Representative:   We urge you to support Representative Tom Udall’s amendment to strike Section 631 from H.R. 6, the Energy Policy...

Public Comment on Roadless Rule

Taxpayers for Common Sense letter advising against changing Roadless Rule.

2004 Federal Register Notice on Roadless Interim Directive

[Federal Register: July 16, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 136)] [Notices]               [Page 42648-42649] From the Federal Register Online via...

TCS Statement on Bush Administration Roadless Rule Proposal

Washington, D.C. – The following is a prepared statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) on the Bush...

TCS Applauds Congress on Cutting Corporate Welfare to the Timber Industry

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement by Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the efforts by...

Biscuit Fire Letter to Secretary Veneman 2004

The Honorable Ann M. Veneman United States Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20250  Dear Secretary...

Crossroads: Congress, the Corps of Engineers, and the Future of America’s Water Resources

The nation’s largest water management agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is at a crossroads. The Corps is poised to either...

The Federal Grazing Program: A Stampede of Taxpayer Handouts

Grazing on public lands cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in direct subsidies over the last century. Considering the...

Economists Criticize Forest Service Over $10 Billion Road Backlog

Washington, DC - Investing in current roads instead of building new ones would help reduce the growing road maintenance crisis in the...

2003 Economistﾒs Roadless Letter to President

Letter to President George W. Bush against the building of new national forest roads but for the maintenance of existing roads. ...

Recommended Cuts for FY04 Interior Appropriations

Dear Senator:  Our nation faces a record deficit of more than $450 billion for FY03. This places an even greater responsibility on...

Religious Leaders Roadless Letter

Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy before the Lord. Psalm 96:12-13  July 17, 2003  Dear Members of Congress:  As...

Support for Limitations on Road-building in National Forests

Dear Representative Inslee,  Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan budget watchdog organization, supports your funding limitation...

Administrationﾒs Plan to Exempt America’s Largest National Forest from Roadless Rule Will Cost Taxpayers Millions

Washington, D.C. - The Bush administration's proposal to exempt the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Area Conservation Rule will...

Scientists Roadless Letter

June 30, 2003  Honorable President George W. Bush President of the United States The White House Washington, DC 20500  Dear Mr. President: ...

TCS Endorses New Bipartisan Roadless Legislation

Washington, D.C. - The following is a written statement by Shannon Collier, Policy Analyst at Taxpayers for Common Sense on the...

GAO: “Little Progress” Made on Fixing Forest Service Financial Management Problems

Washington, D.C. - The Forest Service has consistently failed to provide American taxpayers and Congress with a clear accounting of what...

Vote “NO” on H.R. 1904: Bill Fails to Prioritize Limited Taxpayer Resources and Provides $125 Million in New Subsidies

Dear Representative: Taxpayers for Common Sense Action (TCS Action), a non-partisan, budget watchdog group, opposes H.R. 1904, the...

Taxpayers and Public Health to Benefit from Mining Law Reforms

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 15, 2003-An outdated federal law that wastes taxpayer funds, permits massive toxic pollution and endangers public...

Mineral Exploration and Development Act of 2003

Dear Representative Rahall,   On behalf of the millions of members from across the country that the undersigned organizations represent, we...

TCS Comments on Proposed Amendments to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Grazing Administration Regulations Anticipated Notice of Public Rulemaki

Taxpayers for Common Sense opposes any alterations that would limit public access to federal grazing lands or reduce the opportunity for...

Audit Finds Federal Fire Dollars Wasted

Washington, D.C. - Firefighting crews have “totally ignored” federal rules by spending taxpayer money with the “the perception that...

WILDFIRE: JUST THE FACTS

1. During the 2002 wildfire season: 2.4 million acres of Forest Service and burned, in addition to 4.8 million acres of other...

Forest Service Misplaced $215 Million in Firefighting Funds

Washington, D.C. - In a memo obtained from the Forest Service by Taxpayers for Common Sense, Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth disclosed...

End Forest Service Political Demagoguery

Washington, D.C. - Despite Forest Service efforts to blame everyone but themselves for the western wildfire crisis, the leading fire...

TCS Statement on New Bipartisan Roadless Legislation

Taxpayers for Common Sense, an independent budget watchdog organization, strongly supports the bipartisan Roadless Area Conservation Act of...

New Legislation Would Protect Taxpayers, Prevent Nationﾒs Largest Toxic Polluter from Destroying Rivers and Streams

Bill would prevent bad actors, like those behind Rock Creek Mine proposal underneath Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, from sticking taxpayers...

National Fire Plan Funds Mishandled

Washington, D.C. - The United States Forest Service (USFS) and Department of Interior (DOI) have failed to identify communities that face a...

Direct Costs of the Federal Grazing Program for FY 2003

Direct Costs of the Federal Grazing Program In fiscal year 2002, the BLM spent $80.6 million on rangeland management and range...

TCS Letter to Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth

December 10, 2001 Chief Dale Bosworth Forest Service U. S. Department of Agriculture Sidney R. Yates Federal Building 201 14th Street,...

2001 Scientists Roadless Letter

Letter to President George W. Bush from natural recourses scientists supporting Roadless protection of undeveloped national forests. ...

2001 Religious Leaders Roadless Letter

Letter to President George W. Bush from religious leaders endorsing Roadless protection of natural resources. 2001 Religious Leaders...

Bush Administration Suspends Mining Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Interior Department's proposal to suspend efforts to make mining corporations pay to clean up their mine sites could...

From the Ashes

Reducing the Harmful Effects and Rising Costs of Western Wildfires...

Livestock Grazing: Federal Expenditures and Receipts Vary, Depending on the Agency and the Purpose of the Fee Charged

Summary: The 10 federal agencies managed more than 22.6 million AUMs on about 235 million acres of federal lands for grazing and land...

2000 Scientists Roadless Letter

Letter of endorsement directed to President Clinton by natural recourses scientists desiring to protect undeveloped portions of national...

Passing the Buck

How the Mining Industry Used Outdated Rules to Pass Environmental Cleanup Costs to Taxpayers...

1000 Teachers Ask President to Separate Logging and Rural Education

WASHINGTON, DC- More than 1000 professional educators from across the country today called on the President to end the link between funding...

Troubled Waters

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is wasting billions of dollars on environmentally harmful projects, charges a new report by Taxpayers...

Actors Adam West and Mariel Hemingway, Endorse Retirement of Four Lower Snake River Dams

Washington, D.C. - Actors Adam West and Mariel Hemingway joined today with over 800 organizations and prominent individuals in endorsing...

Budget Train Wreck Appears Likely

Washington, DC — The U.S. Senate defeated an amendment offered by Sen. Richard Bryan (D-NV), Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL), and Sen. Ron...

Welfare for Waste

How Federal Taxpayers Subsidies Waste Resources and Discourage Recycling...

07 Members of Congress Urge President to Consider Snake River Salmon Recovery Options

WASHINGTON, D.C.— One hundred and seven members of Congress today called upon President Clinton for "prompt" consideration of all options...

The Brush Disposal Fund

The Brush Disposal Fund is one of the smaller U.S. Forest Service "trust funds" that depend on the federal timber program. Forest Service...

The Roads and Trails Fund

The Roads and Trails Fund is one of the smaller U.S. Forest Service "trust funds" that depend on the federal timber program. Forest Service...

The Timber Salvage Sale Fund

 The Salvage Sale Fund is one of several U.S. Forest Service "trust funds" that is dependent on the federal timber program. Forest Service...

The Replanting Fund

The Replanting Fund is one of several U.S. Forest Service "trust funds" that is dependent on the federal timber program. Forest Service...

Congressional Subsidies for Private Logging

Why Does Congress Subsidize Timber Corporations to Cut Down the Public’s National Forests? Hundreds of millions of tax dollars are spent...

Brush Disposal Trust Fund

The Brush Disposal Fund is one of the smaller U.S. Forest Service "trust funds" that depend on the federal timber program. Forest Service...

Engineering Boondoggles

While Washington is wringing its hands about the automatic across-the-board budget cuts known as...