User Fees and Transaction Costs Involving Native American Lands

Representatives from the natural gas pipeline, oil pipeline, telecommunications and electric utilities industries gathered in Denver on September 26, 1997, to discuss land use, user fees, transaction costs, rights of way and other related issues as they apply to Native American lands. The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) Foundation hosted the meeting.

This meeting was designed to provide a forum to share common experiences and identify the major issues confronting industries that manage assets and facilities on Native American lands. The information and anecdotal experiences that arose during this discussion are expected to serve as the springboard for future meetings, recommendations and action both within the natural gas pipeline industry and other similarly affected industries.

The topics listed below were provided to serve as guideposts to the conversation that followed throughout the day. Participants were free to deviate from the topic and introduce new subjects as they became appropriate. This report is not meant to serve as a strict transcript of the day’s dialogue, but rather as a record of the general points and issues that were raised.