Public News Service

Currently, 90% of public land managed by BLM is open to commodity-driven extraction, like mining and oil and gas development, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

National parks in UT benefit from BLM rules

Conservation experts are applauding the Bureau of Land Management for releasing two new rules that recognize conservation as an essential part of publ…

Mayor Lenise Peterman spoke with a participant at the Coal Country at a Crossroads Listening Session. (United Today, Stronger Tomorrow)

Utah mayor calls for more federal dollars for rural communities

Federal and agency officials convened with stakeholders in Southeastern Utah to discuss how federal funds can help grow and strengthen local economies…

Utah's Orphan Well Plugging Program has spent about $2.5 million to plug orphan wells since its inception in 1992. (Adobe Stock)

Greater accountability sought for abandoned well cleanup in West

According to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, there are at least 49 orphan wells in the state -- wells that are abandoned and not plugged -- …

In 2019, Utah saw $48 million of gas wasted, enough to meet the annual needs of more than a fifth of the residential gas customers in the state, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed gas pipeline rule could help keep UT communities safe

One Utah public lands advocate is standing behind the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's proposed rule which aims to improve ove…

The methane mitigation industry provides family-sustaining jobs, typically paying 10% more than the federal average and cannot be moved offshore, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Analysis: Utah losing big in natural gas waste and pollution

A new analysis found Utah oil and gas companies waste an estimated $48 million worth of natural gas per year, enough to meet the annual needs of more …

According to Consumer Reports, 71% of Americans express some level of interest in buying or leasing an all-electric car. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Rule Could Mean 2 out of 3 Cars is Electric by 2032

The Environmental Protection Agency announced last month new and more stringent vehicle emission standards, which some say could significantly help …

According to a Brigham Young University report, 85% of the pollutants causing health and economic harm in Utah are fossil-fuel combustion products. (Adobe Stock)

Young Utahns Suing State, Calling for Climate Action

By Ray Levy Uyeda for Prism.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Utah News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Ser…

According to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, the state has plugged more than 100 wells. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Group Urges Action to Plug Orphaned UT Oil Wells

Congress allocated billions of dollars through the infrastructure law to plug orphaned well sites across the country, with Utah being one of the …

According to the Conservation in the West Survey, 75% of Utahns support a national goal of conserving 30% of America's land and water by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Conservation Efforts, Environmental Priorities Remain High in UT

The thirteenth annual Conservation in the West Poll surveyed the views of Utahns and voters in seven other western states, and found support for …

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, with methane from human sources driving roughly a third of current global warming. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Group Calls EPA Methane Rule Crucial for State's Overall Wellbeing

A Utah group was one of many who voiced its support during last week's Environmental Protection Agency public hearing on a proposed rule to reduce oil…

According to the EPA, stronger standards would reduce harmful emissions and energy waste from covered sources by 87% below 2005 levels. (Adobe Stock)

UT Group Backs New EPA Proposal to Reduce Methane Emissions

One Utah group is pleased with the Environmental Protection Agency's latest proposal to further reduce methane pollution from oil and gas drilling…

Since the 2020 winter season, the cost of home energy has increased 36%, reflecting the highest prices in the last 10 years, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association. (Adobe Stock)

As Utah Temps Drop and Energy Costs Rise, Help is Available

As temperatures drop across the state of Utah and energy costs continue to rise, Utahns may be eligible for heat utility assistance to stay warm as …

White cliffs along the shore of Lake Powell show how much lower levels in the lake have become over the past decade. (Prochasson/Adobe Stock)

Lake Powell Cutbacks Signal Need for Long-Term Water-Supply Solutions

Federal officials ordered limits this week on how much water is released by Glen Canyon Dam, in order to maintain sufficient levels to generate …

Studies show oil and gas wells, like this one in Duchesne County, are a major source of methane pollution in Utah's Uinta and Wasatch regions. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Utah's Low-Producing Wells Emit Half of Methane Emissions

A new study found low-producing oil and gas wells make up about half the methane emitted from all well sites in the U.S., while accounting for just 6%…

The primary cause of rapidly increasing extinction rates is due to habitat loss caused by human activity, with drought from climate change an increasingly potent accelerant. (PAOLO/Adobe Stock)

Scientists: Sixth Global Mass Extinction Event Happening Now

New research suggests Earth's Sixth Mass Extinction event, on par with the one that ended the age of dinosaurs, is already under way. Noah Greenwald…

The cost of regular gas and jumped from $2.24 a gallon one year ago to $3.59 last week in Utah, while oil and gas companies are reporting record profits. (moodboard/Adobe Stock).

Report: Soaring Oil Industry Profits Costing Consumers at Pump

SALT LAKE CITY -- As Utahns continue to endure some of the nation's highest gasoline prices, 24 of the top oil and gas corporations made nearly $174 …

The release of methane is one the largest sources of greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. (Leonid Ican/Adobe Stock)

Utah Officials Hope Climate Summit Spurs Action, Results

PARK CITY, Utah -- As talks continue at the annual international climate summit, Utahns are among those urging the U.S. to follow up on its …

Utah's Goblin Valley State Park is one of four areas that could see oil and gas exploration if the BLM auctions off the parcels for mineral leases. (Colin/LindaMcKee/Adobe Stock)<br />

Judge's Ruling Puts Utah Wildlands at Risk for Oil-Gas Exploration

GREEN RIVER, Utah -- Despite a January presidential order pausing all oil and gas leases on public lands, the federal government has restarted the …

Geothermal energy is produced by drilling deep into the earth's bedrock, pumping in water, and using the resulting steam to generate power. (Utah FORGE)<br /><br />

Geothermal Has a Role in Utah's Clean-Energy Plan

SALT LAKE CITY -- A researcher at the University of Utah said plans for generating renewable energy should include a power source right under our feet…

Coal mining and coal-fueled electricity generation provides direct employment to about 2,500 Utahns, and millions of dollars in royalties to state and local governments. (agnormark/Adobe Stock)

Biden Could Face Uphill Battle in Utah Over Clean-Energy Plan

SALT LAKE CITY - President Joe Biden's $150 billion clean-energy plan aims to rid almost half the power grid of carbon-based fuels by 2035, but …

While most electricity in Utah is generated by gas or coal-powered plants, one regional utility is considering the nuclear option. (brianguest/Adobe Stock)

Utah Watchdogs Voice Concerns Over 'High-Tech' Nukes

SALT LAKE CITY -- In the push toward carbon-free energy production, some cities in Utah and nearby states are considering a new type of nuclear …

A report prepared for the Utah Legislature points out that the state's power grid may not have the reserve capacity to withstand an extreme heat wave without blackouts. (naufalmq/Adobe Stock)

Heat Wave Generates Concerns Over Viability of Utah Power Grid

SALT LAKE CITY -- Extreme drought has brought abnormally high temperatures across the Western states this week, and normally temperate Utah has not …

Conservationists Back Congressional Effort to Restore Methane Controls

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists and others are optimistic key climate-change regulations on methane leaks rolled back during the Trump administration …

Under President Joe Biden's infrastructure program, thousands of new workers would be needed to improve bridges and roadways, repair water and wastewater systems and build a clean-energy economy. (denklim/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Biden Climate Summit Could Bring Jobs, Infrastructure to Utah, U.S.

SALT LAKE CITY -- When President Joe Biden hosts a virtual summit on Earth Day, he's not only seeking to engage world powers on environmental issues…

Restoring EPA regulations on vehicle emissions standards could help the Wasatch Front/Salt Lake City region roll back its annual brown cloud, which appears each winter. (Utah Dept. of Health)

For Utah, Biden Climate-Change Plan Could Mean Cleaner Air, New Jobs

SALT LAKE CITY -- President Joe Biden released a package of executive orders this week designed to fight climate change, curb pollution, conserve …

The Ashley National Forest in northeastern Utah is part of more than 8 million acres of woodlands in the state managed by the U.S. Forest Service. (Jeff/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Groups Cry Foul Over Forest-Service Rule Change

OGDEN, Utah -- The U.S. Forest Service has issued a controversial rule green-lighting activities such as logging and road-building in national …

A 2019 audit by the Utah Legislature found the state regulatory agency in charge of inspecting oil and gas production had not issued a single fine in its 20-year history. (Craddick/Adobe Stock)

Utah Oil and Gas Regulators Fail to Issue Fines to Polluters

SALT LAKE CITY -- Regulatory agencies in most western states have improved their oversight of the oil and gas industry in recent years. A recent …

The number of greater sage grouse, a threatened species, has dropped from 16 million a century ago to less than 500,000 today in Utah and other Western states. (KerryHargrove/Adobe Stock)

Court Ruling Voids Oil/Gas Leases in Sage-Grouse Habitat

CEDAR CITY, Utah -- A federal judge has voided 1 million acres of oil and gas leases in Utah and other Western states, saying the federal government …

A Trump administration plan could open up parts of the fragile Grand Staircase-Escalante (above) and Bears Ears national monuments in Utah to drilling, mining and grazing in 2021. (dhayes/AdobeStock)

Groups, Tribes Battle Trump's Plan to Develop Utah Monuments

MONTICELLO, Utah -- Advocacy groups are upset -- though not surprised -- by the Trump administration's plan to open up almost 1 million acres of …

The BLM has been ordered to pull back dozens of oil and gas leases, including ones in the Black Dragon Canyon wilderness area in Utah, because it did not properly analyze the effects that oil exploration would have on climate change. (Antropova/AdobeStock)

BLM Ordered to Redo Climate Reviews on Utah Oil Leases

MOAB, Utah — A court challenge by conservation groups has forced the Bureau of Land Management to pull back dozens of oil and gas leases in …

State officials say tailpipe emissions from cars and light trucks account for almost 60% of the air pollution in the Salt Lake Valley. (disq/AdobeStock)<br />

Utah Officials Push Back Over Lower Emissions Standards

SALT LAKE CITY – The federal government is planning to revoke an Environmental Protection Agency regulation that allows California and 13 other …

Ancient petroglyphs line more than 40 miles of rock wall faces along southern Utah's Nine Mile Canyon, which has been called the

Groups Sue to Halt Oil, Gas Leases on Utah Public Lands

SALT LAKE CITY – A coalition of conservation groups is suing the Trump administration to halt the potential environmental damage from 130 oil an…

Air quality in Salt Lake City turns dangerous each winter when a natural air inversion traps pollution from coal-fired power plants and other sources in the atmosphere. (WikimediaCommons)

Advocates Criticize EPA Plan to Roll Back Pollution Regs

SALT LAKE CITY — Members of Moms Clean Air Force testified Monday before the Environmental Protection Agency over plans to roll back protections…

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was one of two major parcels of public land in Utah to be reduced in size by President Donald Trump in 2017. (Wikimedia Commons)

Hearing Probes Dismantling of Utah National Monuments

ESCALANTE, Utah – A Congressional oversight hearing today examines the federal government's dismantling of two national monuments in Utah…

The Colorado pikeminnow is one of the endangered fish species threatened by oil-shale development in the Uintah Basin. (TaylorMcKinnon/Center for Biological Diversity)

Groups Plan to Sue Feds Over Utah Oil-Shale Project

VERNAL, Utah – A coalition of conservation groups plans to sue the Trump administration over plans to construct a commercial oil-shale …

Greater sage-grouse populations in Utah and across 11 western states have dropped by nearly 95 percent from historic levels. (BLM)

BLM Shrinks Sage-Grouse Protections for Energy Leases

SALT LAKE CITY – The Trump administration has announced plans to roll back protections on sage-grouse habitat across seven western states –…

A 2013 University of Colorado study found methane contributed to extremely high ozone pollution in Utah's Uintah Basin. (Jeremy Buckingham/Flickr)

Reversal of Methane Rule Called Threat to Utah Air Quality

SALT LAKE CITY – In its push for what it calls energy dominance, the Trump administration this week reversed Obama-era rules to limit methane …

Some Bureau of Land Management tracts being leased are near Canyonlands National Park. (tsaiproject/Flickr)

200,000 Acres of Utah Land Open for Leasing Amid Protests

SALT LAKE CITY — The Bureau of Land Management today is opening up more than 200,000 acres of public land in Utah to lease sales for oil and gas…

More than 2 million acres of public land are already leased for oil and gas development in Utah. (Edgar Zuniga Jr./Flickr)

Utah Oil and Gas Leases Called Biggest Threat in Years

SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management is proposing leasing more than 300,000 acres of land in Utah for oil and gas development…

Many of the EPA regulations that Scott Pruitt scrapped or delayed as EPA administrator had not yet taken effect before his resignation. (Wikimedia Commons)

Government Watchdog Groups: Pruitt's EPA Exit "Long Overdue"

WASHINGTON – After allegedly overspending on everything from pens to lavish trips and accepting questionable deals from lobbyists, government …

Some 350 wildlife species, including pronghorn and other game popular with hunters, depend on greater sage-grouse habitat. (Public Domain Pictures)

New Maps Suggest Big Game May Offer Cover for Sage Grouse

SALT LAKE CITY – Wildlife advocates say they've found the right tool for the job to help U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reach his goal of …

Conservationists are hoping a federal judge in Boise, Idaho will agree that the Bureau of Land Management is not taking a balanced approach to land management by opening up sensitive sage grouse habitat for energy development. (BLM)

Suit Claims BLM Broke Law with Oil and Gas Leases

SALT LAKE CITY – Conservation groups say the U.S. Bureau of Land Management broke the law when it approved eight large oil and gas lease sales …

Conservationists are protesting the Bureau of Land Management's determination that oil and gas development in an area adjacent to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument would have

Critics Warn New BLM Leases in Utah Could Impact Rare Cultural Sites

SALT LAKE CITY – The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has paved the way for oil and gas drilling on more than 51,000 acres of public lands in …

More than 17 million people live within a mile of an active oil or gas well, including more than 2 million children and older adults. (Getty Images)

Doctors Confirm Health Risks Posed by Fracking

SALT LAKE CITY – Physicians' groups are sounding the alarm about the health risks posed by hydraulic fracturing, and have published a …

A site containing fossils dating back 220 million years could be at risk if efforts to shrink Bears Ears National Monument are successful. (The Wilderness Society)

Major Fossil Find at Risk on Original Bears Ears' Lands

ST. GEORGE, Utah - A team of researchers has uncovered what could be one of the world's richest caches of fossils dating back to the dawn of the age …

Low-snowfall years result in a loss of more than 17,000 jobs, according to a new report. (Pixabay)

Report: Climate Change Impacting Utah's Winter Sports Economy

SALT LAKE CITY — Winter arrived late in Utah, and resorts have struggled to make and keep enough snow to attract skiers and snowboarders and …

Government investment helped increase China's share of worldwide solar cell and panel production from 7 percent in 2005 to 61 percent in 2012. (Pixabay)

Concern Over Solar Tariffs Led to Job Loss in 2017

SALT LAKE CITY – Nearly 10,000 jobs nationwide were lost in the solar industry in 2017, according to a new report released by The Solar …

Groups are concerned that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's moves to prioritize energy development on public lands upsets his agency's traditional multiple-use approach. (George Frey/GettyImages)

Ad Challenges Interior Secretary Zinke to Protect Public Lands

SALT LAKE CITY – Hunters, anglers and conservation groups are running full-page ads in the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News to send a message …

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UT: Energy Policy