The current bonding rules are an integral cost of doing business, and cannot be considered a burden on development. On February 14th, 2025, WORC members sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum urging him to retain and … Continued
Dakota Rural Action and allies defend South Dakotans’ right to reject dangerous CO2 pipelines. In a decisive move to protect local control and landowner rights, South Dakota voters overwhelmingly rejected Referred Law 21 (RL 21) in a referendum held on … Continued
When we show up on people’s doorsteps, we win. It’s safe to say that the 2024 election cycle was one for the history books. While we’re still reorienting ourselves to the new political reality in Washington D.C., we’re celebrating our … Continued
Dr. Barbara Vasquez works to protect wildlife in her own backyard. Barbara Vasquez’ Decades-Long Effort alongside WCA and WORC to Strengthen Protections for Communities and Wildlife By Jessica Plance In the remote, wildlife-rich expanse of Jackson County, Colorado, Dr. Barbara … Continued
Interactive maps of Umatilla and Morrow Counties show concentration and severity of groundwater & air pollution in Oregon’s rural “sacrifice zone” For over two decades, residents of eastern Oregon’s Morrow and Umatilla Counties have been poisoned by nitrates in their … Continued
Billions in federal funding are set to help western co-ops add reliable, inexpensive renewable energy. On September 5th, 2024, the federal government announced the first round of funding from the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. … Continued
This decision, after years of outcry from local residents and litigation, will protect communities, air, water, and the climate from the harms of mining and burning six billion tons of highly polluting coal. On May 16th, 2024, the Biden administration … Continued
Above: Coal ash at the generating plant in Colstrip, Montana, is kept in water-filled ponds. 91% of coal ash ponds around the U.S. leak into local aquifers contaminating groundwater. After pressure from WORC members and allies, the Environmental Protection Agency … Continued
After decades of grassroots organizing, BLM’s new oil and gas bonding standards will help ensure taxpayers and frontline communities no longer have to suffer from the environmental impacts of abandoned wells or pay for well cleanup. In the first significant … Continued
The elective pay provisions in the IRA offer rural electric co-ops, municipalities, and other entities an opportunity to receive direct cash funding to build renewable energy projects. An often overlooked provision of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that can have … Continued