WORC, Powder River File Complaint on Arch’s Wyoming Mining Operations

Today, WORC and Powder River Basin Resource Council (PRBRC) filed a formal citizen complaint requesting inspection and enforcement of financial bonds guaranteeing reclamation at Arch’s huge Wyoming mines. At stake is Arch’s $457 million reclamation liability that covers both its Black Thunder … Continued

coal self bonding

Report: Account for Coal’s Hidden Costs

A new report released yesterday sheds light on the hidden costs of coal production, which the Department of the Interior (DOI) should take into account if it wants to modernize the federal coal program and earn “fair market value” for taxpayers, as required by … Continued

New officers take reins

WORC’s Board of Directors elected officers during its meeting Dec. 5. Dakota Rural Action’s (DRA) Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks takes the reins as Chair. A DRA member for nearly 20 years, Nancy and her husband live on a small acreage on the … Continued

methane flaring, methane waste prevention rule

Drilling in NE CO up despite methane rules & low prices

  The Denver Post recently wrote a story detailing how oil drilling in northeast Colorado is up 22 percent this year. This is interesting because oil faces low prices, and Colorado just passed the nation’s strictest methane standards affecting oil … Continued

Congress, Don’t Block Stream Protection Rule!

WORC helped lead an effort urging members of Congress this week to refrain from weakening the proposed Stream Protection Rule pending before the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement. Coal-state members of Congress are trying to halt the long awaited … Continued

independent ranchers

WORC statement on WTO decision on U.S. meat labels

Yesterday, the World Trade Organization ruled that Mexico and Canada can impose $1.01 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products because of country-of-origin labeling rules on meat. WTO said the rules discriminate against Mexico and Canada. Mabel Dobbs, a rancher … Continued

Rancher deals with radioactive oil & gas waste

Many of the waste byproducts produced during oil and gas extraction are radioactive. They contain varying concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), or technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM), which originate deep in the earth and can be … Continued

IORC members “Put Water First” at 2nd Annual Membership Meeting

Keynote speaker Richard Manning told Idaho Organization of Resource Councils members at the second annual Membership Banquet Nov. 14 in Boise that human activity, especially industrial agriculture and energy exploration, have threatened the environment and clean water. Manning is an author and reporter … Continued

Positive reception for WORC members in Washington D.C.

A troupe of WORC members and staff attended two packed days of meetings in Washington, D.C., on November 18 and 19. The meetings brought participants face-to-face with federal decision makers to hear their demands on coal leasing, mining, and reclamation policy. Unlike … Continued

Solar-powered interview with DRA member on Solarize SD

Dakota Midday on South Dakota Public Media conducted an extensive interview with Dakota Rural Action member, Don Kelley, at his off-grid solar home, about DRA’s Solarize South Dakota campaign. In this segment SDPB’s Charles Michael Ray speaks with Don Kelley … Continued