TJUSD gets a portion of the millions of dollars in government royalties paid by Searles Valley Minerals for its soda ash production in Trona. But the amount could drop if the U.S. Bureau of Land Management moves forward on a proposal to make it easier for mining companies to request lower royalty rates. The proposal also would give the BLM the ability to approve payment reductions, which today are approved by Congress. It’s unclear if, or when, the change would happen, but school officials worry the rate will drop from 5% to 2% — and potentially cut about $2.5 million from its budget. The district has received between $3.8 million and $4.1 million for the past five years.
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