Powder River Welcomes EPA’s Methane Rule
On Saturday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to sharply reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. The rule, which applies to all wells across the country, aims to cut methane pollution and mitigate the impacts of climate change, while safeguarding public health. For years, communities throughout the country, including […]
Federal court ruling favors Wyoming coal plants, threatening communities and parks
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 […]
Powder River Breaks Newsletter, May – June 2023
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. […]
Powder River Basin Resource Council Statement new EPA Power Plant Rules
“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, January – February 2023
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 […]
Powder River Breaks Newsletter September – October 2022
September – October 2022, Volume 50, Number 5 Powder River turns a half century old this year! Our founding members joined together in 1973 for the organization’s first annual meeting of the membership, and on Nov. 5 in Sheridan we’ll celebrate the golden anniversary of our annual meetings. The staff and board are excited to […]
Powder River Breaks Newsletter January – February 2022
January – February 2022, Volume 50, Number 1 Powder River, in partnership with researchers at the University of Wyoming Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, has unveiled Wyoming Voices, a pilot project looking at how storytelling may support communities in transition. Through this process, eight participants from Southwest Wyoming not only told their personal […]
Conservation Organizations’ Statement on EPA’s Decision on Jim Bridger Coal Plant
Powder River Basin Resource Council, National Parks Conservation Association, and Sierra Club welcomed a decision from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposing to deny a change to a long-standing pollution control plan for the Jim Bridger coal plant in Wyoming. Wyoming and the utility that operates the plant, PacifiCorp (or, Wyoming-based Rocky Mountain Power), […]
Western residents near oil & gas development applaud new emission rules
In response to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement of New and Existing Source Methane Pollution Standards for the Oil and Gas Industry, leaders from Western states responded: “We applaud EPA’s commitment to tackle the easily preventable and highly dangerous methane pollution from the oil and gas industry,” said Barbara Vasquez, a leader with the […]
Powder River Breaks Newsletter July-August 2021
July – August 2021, Volume 49, Number 4 Powder River is excited to announce the launch of our new campaign to protect Wyoming ratepayers and promote a just transition from higher-cost coal generation to lower-cost renewable energy. Our new project, the Wyoming Association of Ratepayers, supports affordable, reliable, equitable, and environmentally responsible electricity. We stand […]
