The problem with Wall Street getting into public lands drilling

As a government shutdown looms, attention is turning to what will happen to national parks in the absence of government funding. Every aspect of park operations, from interpretive programs and search and rescue to maintenance and cleaning, hinges on federal employees being paid to do their jobs. Last week, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso urged the Interior Department to keep parks open, […]

Private equity investors appear to have found a new target: oil and gas companies operating on public land in the Western U.S. According to a new report co-authored by Public Citizen and the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, private-equity-backed companies hold approximately $380 million in unplugged oil and gas wells in four Western oil states: Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and […]

Congressional investigation necessary into inappropriate use of NPS funds DENVER—According to a memo obtained by The Hill, National Park Service Deputy Director Dan Smith announced that the National Park Service (NPS) would use funds provided in Congress’ short-term funding bill to retroactively pay for NPS operations and staffing during the government shutdown. Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt […]

Bureau of Land Management brings back workers to process oil and gas leases, drilling permits FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 16, 2019 DENVER—The Interior Department has resumed issuing oil and gas leases in Western states, going so far as to recall Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Offshore Energy Management employees in an accelerating effort to process industry applications and keep future […]

It’s “Throwback Thursday,” and on social media that usually means revisiting a fun memory. But for many Western communities, this Throwback Thursday is more like a nightmare than a fond memory considering that we are just one week away from another government shutdown. With the end of the fiscal year occurring next Wednesday, Congress is […]