[guitarplayer1953]

What do you think the founding fathers would say today about the federal government?

[MHGinTN]

That it is completely out of bounds, ignoring the ten Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Need you ask?

[Ben Ficklin]

If the coastal state(s) wants the royalty, they need to allow drilling in state waters, aka state submerged lands, aka the inner continental shelf. Except for Texas and FL's gulf coast, three miles out belongs to the state and beyond that to the feds.

Having said that, in the 2006 GOM Energy Security Act which opened 8.3 million acres on the OCS to drilling, a portion the federal royalties were redirected to TX, LA, MS, AL, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. But the money can be used only for coastal preservation, restoration, and hurricane protection.