Tens of thousands of new oil, gas and coalbed methane wells have been sited in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Wyoming and other parts of the West, and more are planned.

Millions of acres of land across the West are being disturbed by pipelines, roads, compressor stations, transmission lines, wastewater containment ponds and well pads – turning agricultural land into industrial sites. Irresponsible development of these resources brings substantial risks to the region’s agricultural economy and environment.

Energy development can and must be done right, without polluting our water or leaving landowners and taxpayers with the costs of cleanup.

CLEAR Act passes House

On July 30, 2010, the House of Representatives passed an oil spill bill that includes a couple of modest onshore oil and gas reforms, as well as some new safety measures that will apply to both onshore and offshore development.

The bill, H.R. 3534, would end:

• Exemptions from the Clean Water Act’s stormwater runoff rules for oil and gas construction sites and
• Exclusions from the National Environmental Policy Act’s review requirements for certain oil and gas sites.

The bill also includes oil spill protection provisions, such as requiring public review of oil and gas facilities' emergency response plans.

H.R. 3534 passed the House by a vote of 209-193.

Keystone XL tar sands pipeline

TransCanada, a Canadian company, wants to build a 36-inch pipeline to carry up to 37.8 million gallons daily of dirty tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and on to the Texas Gulf Coast. TransCanada is seeking a permit from the State Department to cross the border. It wants to use thinner pipe more prone to leaks and spills for most of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline’s route. Learn more

New Protect Property Rights.org website and documentary focuses on split estate landowners

The launch of WORC’s new Protect Property Rights.org website coincides with the world television premiere of Split Estate, a new documentary mapping a tragedy in the making, as citizens in the path of a new drilling boom in the Rocky Mountain West, including several members of Western Colorado Congress, struggle against the erosion of their civil liberties, their communities and their health. Read stories of landowners affected by oil and gas drilling and learn more about Split Estate on the new website.

Colorado and Montana voters strongly support property rights of surface owners

Surveys conducted for WORC found overwhelming support among voters in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District and Montana for a federal measure strengthening protections for private property owners facing of oil and gas drilling on their land.

More than eight-out-of-ten voters surveyed favor an amendment in Congress that would strengthen protections for private property owners.

Read Colorado 3rd Congressional District survey key findings
Read Colorado 3rd Congressional District survey press results

Read Montana voter survey key findings
Read Montana voter survey press results
Read Billings Gazette article

Background

Introduced in 2007, the Western Waters and Farm Lands Protection Act, H.R. 1180, and the Surface Owners Protection Act, S. 1931, would have protected water, landowners, and taxpayers from irresponsible oil and gas development.

Learn more about H.R. 1180 and S. 1931
Read landowner profiles

Members tell Congress to protect Western lands, water, communities, and landowners.

Testimony by Peggy Utesch, Western Colorado Congress & WORC
Testimony by Steve Adami, Powder River Basin Resource Council
Testimony by Roger Muggli, Northern Plains Resource Council

The BLM Split Estate Report to Congress excludes ‘right to refuse consent’ and notification of surface owners about federal oil and gas development.

WORC Seeks Better Bonding and Reclamation

In 2006, WORC petitioned the Bureau of Land Management to require the oil and gas industry to reclaim land damaged by drilling and to provide financial assurance bonds to protect taxpayers and landowners from restoration costs.

Learn more about the petition

WORC study finds need for federal and state agencies to overhaul regulation of oil and gas development or taxpayers and landowners could be saddled with billions in clean-up costs.

Read about Filling the Gaps: How to Improve Oil and Gas Reclamation and Reduce Taxpayer Liability

WORC Urges Agencies to Beef Up Inspection and Enforcement

WORC’s report, Law and Order in the Oil and Gas Fields, calls for balancing booming oil and gas development with public health and environmental safety by strengthening inspection and enforcement programs.

Read about WORC’s report

Resources

• WORC fact sheet, Coalbed Methane Development: Boon or Bane for Rural Residents?
• Western Energy Agenda
• Hydraulic Fracturing
• Stormwater Runoff
• Information on 2005 Energy Bill
• Energy Impacts to Landowners
• Natural Gas Prices and Markets

Links

• Bush National Energy Policy
• Institute for Local Self Reliance
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• State Environmental Resource Center
• Taxpayers for Common Sense
• U.S. Department of Energy
• Union of Concerned Scientists
• U.S. Public Interest Research Group
• Powder River Basin Resource Council
• Northern Plains Resource Council
• Western Colorado Congress
• Clark Resource Council

Archive

On August 4, 2007, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection. The bill would restore balance to the oil and gas industry. The bill includes provisions protecting surface owners, water, and taxpayers from the Western Waters and Farm Lands Protection Act, H.R. 1180.

Read WORC's news release
Learn how your representative voted
Summary of H.R. 3221 key provisions