Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News

Colorado drilling company behind leaks, spills will pay a fraction of the massive fine it initially faced

Front Range oil and gas company KP Kauffman has agreed to a comprehensive clean-up of spills and releases from wells, tanks, and flowlines at 74 sites under a “global” remediation plan and to pay a $795,000 fine – just about a fifth of what state regulators initially sought. The compliance agreement was approved by the […]

Posted inBusiness, Climate, Economy, Energy, Environment, News

Biden administration to gauge climate damage from federal oil and gas sales

By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. government regulators for the first time will analyze greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling on federal lands on a national scale, as the Biden administration steps up efforts to address climate change, the Interior Department said Friday. The announcement comes as officials are […]

Posted inEconomy, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government

Adams County adopts new oil and gas regulations that critics say will effectively ban drilling

The Adams County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 to adopt new oil and gas regulations at a public hearing on Tuesday, making the county one of the first in Colorado to revise its policies since new statewide regulations took effect in January. The regulations increase setback distances for new drilling to 2,000 feet from homes, […]

Posted inEnergy, Environment, News

Approvals for companies to drill for oil and gas on public lands increase despite Biden climate pledge

By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press Approvals for companies to drill for oil and gas on U.S. public lands are on pace this year to reach their highest level since George W. Bush was president, underscoring President Joe Biden’s reluctance to more forcefully curb petroleum production in the face of industry and Republican resistance. The […]

Posted inEnergy, Environment, News, Politics and Government

87 Front Range oil and gas wells ordered to shut down after operator KP Kauffman fails to clean up spills

KP Kauffman, an independent oil and gas operator on the Front Range, has been ordered to shut 87 of its wells and clean up 29 sites after a litany of violations, ranging from fouling farm fields to covering the road in front of a high school with oily waste.  The wells, located in Adams and […]

Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News

Biden administration ends oil, gas lease sales from public land through June

By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — The U.S. Interior Department is cancelling oil and gas lease sales from public lands through June amid an ongoing review of how the program contributes to climate change, officials said Wednesday. The action does not affect existing leases, and the agency has continued to issue new […]

Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government

Biden administration will deliver report on its suspension of oil and gas sales on federal lands by summer

By Matthew Brown, The Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it will deliver an interim report on its suspension of oil and gas sales from federal lands and waters by summer, but officials declined to state how long the moratorium could remain in place. A long-term ban on lease sales […]