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Powder River Statement on Cloud Peak Bankruptcy

May 10, 2019 “In light of Cloud Peak’s bankruptcy filing, we urge the State of Wyoming and county governments to aggressively participate in the bankruptcy proceedings on behalf of miners, taxpayers, and our environment. We are concerned that these mines will be transferred to entities with even less financial ability to meet tax and clean-up […]

Powder River Breaks March – April 2019

March – April 2019, Volume 47, Number 2 Aethon Energy, the company that operates the Moneta Divide oil and gas field, is seeking an expanded discharge permit from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to dramatically increase their oil and gas wastewater discharge into the streams that flow into Boysen Reservoir. The volume of […]

Conservation Groups Question Cloud Peak Energy Mine Cleanup Bonds

April 8, 2019 Billings, Mont. —  Conservation groups sent a letter on Friday to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requesting an investigation into the reclamation bonds at the Spring Creek Mine near Decker, Mont., owned by nearly-bankrupt Cloud Peak Energy.  Inadequate bonding during bankruptcy could result in taxpayers picking up the tab for […]

Powder River Breaks January – February 2019

January – February 2019, Volume 47, Number 1 By a unanimous vote on February 19th, the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council (EQC) adopted new comprehensive rules to strengthen financial assurance requirements for coal and noncoal mines. Notably, the rules strictly limit what companies will be able to qualify to use “self-bonding” to guarantee mine reclamation costs. […]

Powder River Statement on New Coal Self-Bonding Rules

February 19, 2019 “Today is a proud moment for Wyoming: We now have the toughest self-bonding rules in the nation. With a 5-0 vote, the state Environmental Quality Council approved new rules limiting self-bonding of coal mines. This was a critical step allowing the state to better manage the risk of over $2 billion in […]

Powder River Releases Video Series on Oil & Gas Development Impacts

February 18, 2019 (Sheridan, WY) The Powder River Basin Resource Council has released a new series of videos featuring Wyoming residents whose lives have been upended by nearby oil and gas development. From living with the legacy of contaminated groundwater in Pavillion to addressing booming oil and gas development in Laramie and Converse Counties, the […]

Powder River Files Complaint against DEQ for Public Records Act Violation

February 7, 2019 This week, Powder River Basin Resource Council (Resource Council) filed a complaint against the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) because the agency withheld documents directly related to Contura’s bond renewal for the Belle Ayr coal mine. The Resource Council’s complaint maintains that DEQ unlawfully withheld land appraisal documents directly related to […]