Seal of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

News Release

State Mineral Board welcomes new member at March meeting

For Immediate Release
March 20, 2003

Ernest S. Easterly, III

Gov. M.J. “Mike” Foster recently appointed Ernest S. Easterly, III, a Southern University law professor, to the State Mineral Board. Easterly joined the ten-member board during its March mineral lease sale meeting.

Easterly holds a doctorate degree in geography and a law degree from Louisiana State University. He is a resident of Watson, La. and is a member of several professional organizations.

The State Mineral Board conducted its monthly lease sale on March 12, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. in the Conservation & Mineral Resources Hearing Room located in the LaSalle Office Building in Baton Rouge.

These are the preliminary results of the Lease Sale and 2002-2003 Fiscal Year totals:

CLASSIFICATION	NOMINATED TRACTS	NOMINATED ACREAGE	LEASES AWARDED	NO. OF ACRES	AMOUNT OF CASH PAYMENTS
Lease Sale March 12, 2003
State Offshore Leases	5	9,816.620	4	3,010.250	$1,316,597.69
State Onshore Leases	43	41,176.280	27	2,951.000	944,276.64
State Dedicated Leases	3	1,920.800	0	0.000	0.00
State Agency Leases	1	14.140	1	14.140	3,549.14
TOTAL SALE	52	52,927.840	32	5,975.390	$2,264,423.47

2002-2003 Fiscal Year
State Offshore Leases	156	216,157.235	39	14,081.300	$4,931,009.90
State Onshore Leases	635	885,300.451	197	52,024.460	11,595,927.14
State Dedicated Leases	14	23,350.130	2	549.080	199,996.00
State Agency Leases	19	1,747.538	17	698.164	203,792.99
TOTAL YEAR TO DATE	824	1,126,555.354	255	67,353.004	$16,930,726.03

Editors: For more information, call DNR Assistant Secretary Office of Mineral Resources Gus Rodemacher at 225-342-4607 or Betty Landry at 225-342-3359.