The Threat of Idled Oil and Gas Wells on Public Land

The administration is putting the brakes on new oil and gas leases on public lands. The move is being met with cheers from conservation groups and legal threats from the fossil fuels industry. We look at what it means for one large drilling proposal in the mountains east of Bayfield.

Across Colorado, oil and gas companies pay for a lot more than just jobs and equipment. They pay taxes that fund countless public services. So, what does it mean for a local government if oil and gas revenues become more uncertain?

Revenue from oil and gas in Utah hasn’t recovered since plummeting earlier this year. That means government grants and loans that rely on energy royalties have less in their coffers, just when communities need it the most. Justin Higginbottom with KZMU Radio in Moab reports.

The coronavirus is negatively impacting much of the U.S. economy, particularly energy markets. High Country News writer and former Durango resident Jonathan Thompson has covered oil and gas for a long time. He says the pandemic hasn't had much effect on natural gas. But oil is a different story. And the fallout will affect everybody, as KSUT Reporter Mark Duggan explains: