An oil boom would also mean a multibillion-dollar windfall in tax revenues, royalties and leasing fees for Alaska and the Federal Government.

An oil boom would also mean a multibillion dollar windfall in tax revenues, royalties and leasing fees for Alaska and the Federal Government.

Oil, gas, coal and timber companies, by contrast, all have to pay substantial royalties, of up to 12.5% of gross income, when they extract from federal lands.