"US hikes cost of #oil drilling on federal lands for 1st time in decades, a bid to generate more $ for taxpayers
Interior Department rule represents 1st comprehensive update to the federal oil & gas leasing program in more than 30 years. It will force oil companies to pay at least 10x more to drill on US lands — $150K up from $10K — + higher royalties...also aims to prevent taxpayers from footing the bill for cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells."
