Let’s bury “crimes against critical infrastructure” once for all

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(Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle on January 17, 2019.) Last year we witnessed one of the strangest legislative battles Wyoming has ever seen, the fight over SF-74, “crimes against critical infrastructure.” Last year’s bill not only sparked the ire of Native Americans and nonprofit groups around Wyoming who believed it would chill free speech, but […]

Powder River Breaks November – December 2018

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November – December 2018, Volume 46, Number 6 On November 3rd, over 100 Powder River members gathered in Sheridan to celebrate our 46th Annual Meeting with an evening of socializing and shopping at the silent and live auctions. During dinner, members eagerly listened to “Cranes, Plains & Watersheds,” a presentation by conservationist, photographer, and author […]

Powder River Objects to Blackjewel Coal Permits

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November 29, 2018  (Sheridan, WY) Today, Powder River Basin Resource Council (Resource Council) filed an objection with the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council (EQC) over Contura’s proposal to transfer their coal mine permits for the Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte mines to Blackjewel, LLC. The Resource Council’s objection maintains that the permit transfers fail to meet […]

Powder River Comments to EPA on “Affordable Clean Energy Rule”

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October 31, 2018 Environmental Protection Agency EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Mail Code 28221T 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Submitted via electronic mail to: a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov Re: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355 Dear Acting Administrator Wheeler: On behalf of the members of the Powder River Basin Resource Council, thank you for the opportunity to submit comments […]

Powder River Breaks September – October 2018

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September – October 2018, Volume 46, Number 5 Award-winning conservation photographer and author Michael Forsberg will highlight Powder River’s 46th Annual Meeting, Our Water, Our Land, Our Legacy, on Saturday, Nov. 3rd at the Sheridan Holiday Inn. Forsberg will present his work on Great Plains conservation. Additionally a selection of his photographs will be on […]

Conservation Photographer to Keynote Powder River Annual Meeting

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October 18, 2018 On Saturday, Nov. 3rd, Powder River Basin Resource Council will host its 46th Annual Meeting at the Holiday Inn in Sheridan. This year’s theme, Our Water, Our Land, Our Legacy, features award-winning photographer and conservationist Michael Forsberg. For the last 25 years, Forsberg has been dedicated to documenting wildlife and conservation stories […]

Scientists to present on Pavillion area oil & gas contamination

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October 8, 2018 Three independent scientists who have investigated the oil and gas contamination in the Pavillion area will present their analysis on Thursday, October 18 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Central Wyoming College, Intertribal Center, Room 125, in Riverton. The scientists presenting at the forum are:  Mike Wireman, a hydro-geologist and former […]

Updated Tax Report Shows Mineral Tax Delinquency Growing

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(Sheridan, WY) An updated report shows that mineral extraction companies owe Wyoming counties nearly $55 million in unpaid taxes throughout the state, up nearly $13 million since January. Today Powder River Basin Resource Council (Powder River) released a revised report “Ad Valorem Taxes in Wyoming: Proposed Improvements” providing updated data and suggests legislative actions to […]

Ad Valorem Taxes in Wyoming: Proposed Improvements

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Our original report in January 2018 (Delinquent Mineral Taxes and Budget Deficits: A Case for Reform) detailed Wyoming’s heavy dependence on mineral taxes to fund state and local government services. We discussed the fact that Wyoming gets more than 70% of our total revenue from taxes on mineral extraction and the impacts to county services […]