But the government could say no but doesn't. Just like timber industry, they understand that oil and trees are finite and not everywhere, and denying access would dramatically raise prices and cut jobs on those commodities. So I'm going to disagree, those royalties are pittance of the US balance sheet, it's a way of keeping the economy going, a form of subsidy.That's not subsidized. The oil companies pay royalties just like they were on private land.