Federal court ruling favors Wyoming coal plants, threatening communities and parks

Posted by & filed under News.

This week the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with polluters in a case that would have reduced air pollution in Wyoming’s national parks and public lands across the region. National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club and the Powder River Basin Resource Council have argued in court since 2014 to bring some of the state’s […]

Western Ranchers and Communities Welcome New Rules for Federal Oil and Gas

Posted by & filed under News.

Increased Reclamation Bonds Will Help Ensure Taxpayers No Longer Have to Fund Cleanup BILLINGS, Mont: After more than half a century of waiting, members of the Western Organization of Resource Councils applaud the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for releasing new rules for federal oil and gas wells. The proposed rules will help ensure that […]

Powder River Breaks Newsletter, May – June 2023

Posted by & filed under Powder River Breaks Newsletter.

May – June 2023, Volume 51, Number 3 In May, Powder River joined with Western Colorado Alliance (WCA) and Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) to advocate for stronger federal onshore oil and gas bonding requirements. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering a rule that would update onshore oil and gas lease sales. […]

New EPA Rule Targets Leaks at Inactive Coal Ash Landfills

Posted by & filed under News.

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a revised Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule that no longer exempts inactive impoundments at inactive facilities, also known as “legacy units”. The proposed new rule would address the over half billion tons of coal ash and the decades-old ash ponds that have escaped inspections and leaked toxic chemicals […]

Powder River Basin Resource Council Statement new EPA Power Plant Rules

Posted by & filed under News.

“While we appreciate the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to curb pollution from power plants, we believe they are on the wrong track by encouraging further subsidies and investments in carbon capture (CCS) technology. Carbon capture on coal-fired power plants has proven to be expensive to install and has fallen short in reaching its goals. “There […]

Powder River Breaks Newsletter, March – April 2023

Posted by & filed under Powder River Breaks Newsletter.

At the end of March, PacifiCorp (which does business as Rocky Mountain Power in Wyoming) released its new 20-year energy plan, detailing what new electricity generation resources the company expects to build and what generation resources it will retire during that timeframe. The plan should largely not be surprising to most who have been following […]

Powder River Breaks Newsletter, January – February 2023

Posted by & filed under Powder River Breaks Newsletter.

January – February 2023, Volume 51, Number 1 A Jan. 31 Bloomberg article by journalist Aaron Clark revealed significant shortcomings in emissions reporting at the Douglas Gas Plant, operated by Tallgrass Midstream, LLC. Following a routine maintenance project, oxygen levels at the facility rose to a hazardous level, prompting operators to conduct a safety release […]

Leadership & Action Workshop Scheduled for April 18-19 in Rock Springs

Posted by & filed under News.

Learn how to take action and organize around important issues in your community at the Leadership & Action Workshop April 18 – 19 in Rock Springs. Join Powder River Basin Resource Council for a lively, hands-on training that will enhance your ability to participate in your community’s civic life. If you have ever felt like […]