Prominent Senators from Washington State and Illinois launched a congressional investigation of coal self bonding for mine reclamation allowed by some states, including Wyoming. Taxpayers are potentially on the hook for over a billion dollars worth of reclamation work after two major … Continued
From March 7 to 9, the People’s Lobby, twelve Western Colorado Congress leaders and staff, traveled to the State Capitol and met with nine lawmakers about legislation that benefits West Slope communities. The long drive to Denver is part of WCC’s annual People’s Lobby Trip. These are … Continued
Land use plans to keep open vast amounts of public land in Montana and Wyoming for fossil fuel development are short-sighted and fail to consider dramatic changes in energy markets that make such thinking both obsolete and financially risky, a coalition … Continued
Western states haven’t been immune to the job losses from trade deals that turned the Midwest into “Rust Belt.” Rural communities, like Dillon in southwest Montana, have also been hit hard by outsourcing. Trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement … Continued
Idaho lawmakers passed a suite of bills in 2016 stripping the ability of local communities to have a say in oil and gas permitting. The worst legislation, Senate Bill 1339, would make the permitting process for oil and gas much … Continued
On March 9, WORC welcomed the announcement by President Barack Obama and Premier Justin Trudeau that United States and Canada are committed to taking new actions to cut methane pollution from existing oil and gas operations. The oil and gas … Continued
On March 10, Arch Coal announced that it is suspending efforts to secure a mining permit for the proposed Otter Creek Mine. Otter Creek was the largest proposed new coal strip mine in the nation; it would have stripped 8,300 acres of … Continued
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently held public hearings regarding its proposed oil and gas methane emissions and waste reduction rules. WORC groups turned out members to support a strong BLM methane waste rule at hearings in Dickinson, N.D, … Continued
Senator Pat Roberts introduced H.R. 1599, a bill to stop efforts to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The bill has a hearing in the U.S. Senate Ag Committee on March 1.
On Feb. 19, the Greater Oahe Action League (GOAL), a local chapter of Dakota Rural Action, released the results of an eight-month-long study of the region’s foodshed to determine how to better connect local farmers with consumers. Foodshed report The report, … Continued