Amarillo impressively provided almost the entire world’s supply of helium from 1929-1943. Congress passed the Helium Privatization Act in 1996 which federal refining of helium and required liquidation of supplies. Decommissioning of the plant began in 1998 and everything was auctioned off in 2000. Not only has the former facilities remained unused under new ownership but privatization has caused ongoing government concerns with practices and financial relationships with the Bureau of Land Management.
