STATE MINERAL BOARD BEGINS 1996-97 FISCAL YEAR

The State Mineral Board conducted a Lease Sale July 10, 1996 at 10:00 a.m. in the Mineral Board Hearing Room located in the State Land and Natural Resources Building in Baton Rouge. Below are the preliminary results of the Lease Sale and 1996-97 Fiscal Year totals.

                   NOMINATED    NOMINATED  LEASES   NO. OF    AMOUNT OF
CLASSIFICATION       TRACTS      ACREAGE    AWARDED  ACRES    CASH
PAYMENTS

Lease Sale July 10, 1996
State Offshore Leases     28     44,435.330    14    11,684.630   $2,099,139.77
State Onshore Leases      31     26,563.710    13     1,879.430    983,173.24
State Dedicated Leases     0          0.000     0         0.000          0.00
State Agency Leases        4        642.156     2       478.530     138,900.09

TOTAL SALE                63    71,641.196     29   14,042.590  $3,221,213.10

Additionally, this was the first meeting attended by the newly appointed Mineral Board members named by Governor Mike Foster earlier this month. The seven new members of the Board are

• Bret Allain (Jeanerette)
• Bill Allerton (Metairie)
• James Bertrand (Ville Platte)
• Denis Husers (Lake Charles)
• Ramon Lafitte (Shreveport)
• Owen Mire (Franklin)
• Hal Stiel (Franklin).

  Judge E. L. Guidry, Jr. was selected to serve as the Board's Chairman and Monica T. Surprenant as Vice-Chairwoman. Both Guidry and Surprenant were appointed prior to the latest appointments.

  Editors: For more information, contact Gus Rodemacher, DNR Office of Mineral Resources (504) 342-4607.