Governor critical of mineral royalties changes

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, WY – Governor Dave Freudenthal is calling the reduction of mineral royalties that go to the state a crime.

The federal government is reducing the share of the mineral royalties that go to states from 50 percent to 48 percent. Freudenthal says this move is part of a pattern of the federal government trying to bail itself out by pulling state money back.

Wyoming could lose about 20 million dollars as a result of the change.