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ND's cut of oil royalties on state land increasing
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BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) _ North Dakota has reaped more than $1.1

billion since 2007 by allowing drilling activity on state land.

The state owns about 1.2 million acres in 17 of western North

Dakota's oil producing counties. And almost two-thirds of the

state-owned land has an oil well or one likely will be drilled

within five years.

State Department of Trust Lands commissioner Lance Gaebe

says royalty income from oil production has overtaken

lease revenue as producers increasingly drill wells to hold rights

to the land.

He says the state is now collecting more than $20 million

monthly in royalty income.

Most of the oil money goes toward public school funding. Money

also is paid to a trust fund that can be tapped by the Legislature

for special projects.