Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Over 2,700 oil and gas spills occurred in top oil-producing Western states in 2024
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Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Oil and gas pipelines in New Mexico; Forest Guardians/Wikimedia Commons ([link removed])
Each year, the Center for Western Priorities analyzes oil and gas spills data collected by Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming—the West’s top oil and gas-producing states.
This year’s report ([link removed]) found there were at least 2,709 drilling-related spills in 2024 in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming (combined). These spills contained at least 7 million gallons of crude oil and other hazardous liquids.
Operators in New Mexico and Colorado reported fewer drilling-related spills in 2024 than 2023, while the number of reported spills as well as the amount of drilling-related liquid spilled in Wyoming went up in 2024. The volume of liquid spilled in New Mexico has gone down two years in a row, since the state began issuing fines for spills ([link removed]) in 2021.
Operators in New Mexico also reported a 43 percent decrease in the amount of methane, or natural gas, wasted through venting and flaring in 2024 as compared to 2023. Altogether, operators captured over 99 percent of the methane that was produced in the state in 2024. However, operators in New Mexico still wasted a combined 11.5 billion cubic feet of methane through venting and flaring in 2024.
“If there’s one thing to take away from this report, it’s that oil and gas production is inherently dangerous. It defiles our physical environment and contributes to climate change. And while strong regulations and fines seem to help, there’s no way to produce oil and gas without the occurrence of spills, venting, and flaring,” said report author Kate Groetzinger. ([link removed])
** Quick hits
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Trump is freeing up public lands for Big Oil. It doesn’t want them
New Republic ([link removed])
Proposed public land sell-off pits Senate Republicans against key constituency
Forbes ([link removed])
Why Trump’s ‘energy dominance’ order could be litigated in Nevada
Las Vegas Review-Journal ([link removed])
Congressman Hurd introduces bill to enact Project 2025 fossil fuel agenda
Colorado Times Recorder ([link removed])
Editorial: Senate takes another run at selling off public lands
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed])
Trump cancels $49 million Wyoming coal carbon capture project
WyoFile ([link removed])
Radiation exposure compensation fund included in Senate mega-bill
Source NM ([link removed])
Inside Utah’s PR campaign to seize public lands
High Country News ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” I fear some members of Congress are taking the continued support of sportsmen for granted... For sportsmen, selling millions of acres of our federal lands in a fast-tracked budget reconciliation effort is unacceptable.”
—Jeff Crane, president and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Forbes ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@mypubliclands ([link removed])
This Thursday, in honor of Juneteenth, Bureau of Land Management sites that charge fees will offer free admission to everyone. It's a chance to reflect, explore and connect with the landscapes that tell America's story.
Recreation standard amenity and day-use fees on our lands are waived on fee-free days.
📷 Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
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