On June 15, 2021, the COGCC noticed the Financial Assurance Rulemaking with proposed modifications to the 100 through 900-Series Rules.

On June 8, 2021, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon announced a second iteration of the Energy Rebound Program (“ERP”), originally implemented in 2020 to assist Wyoming energy producers in the wake of COVID-19.

On May 13, 2021, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed Crestone Peak Resources Operating, LLC’s defeat of Boulder County in a lawsuit challenging several of Crestone’s oil and gas leases in a published and precedent-setting opinion.

On April 16, 2021, Department of Interior Secretary Haaland issued Executive Orders 3389 and 3399, to implement the review of the DOI actions directed by Executive Order (EO) 13990 (“Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis”) issued by President Biden on January 20, 2021, and to address climate and environmental justice concerns, among other purposes.

On March 31, 2021 and April 1, 2021, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission held a virtual Hearing to receive information from stakeholders and the public on a future Financial Assurance Rulemaking.

On March 18, 2021, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) released details for its virtual public forum regarding the federal oil and gas program, slated to be held on March 25, 2021 between 1:00-4:00 p.m. ET.

The deadline for Operators to identify and submit their lists of pending, unapproved Forms 2 and 2A to the COGCC is one week from today – Monday March 1, 2021.

On February 4, 2021, Wyoming’s Governor Mark Gordon unveiled a multi-pronged plan to strengthen and expand Wyoming’s economic pillars and to buoy the state’s economic recovery, with emphases on energy, tourism and agriculture.

On January 20, 2021, The Interior Department issued a Secretarial Order (Order) temporarily elevating review of relevant agency decisions, including final agency actions, regulatory actions, and energy development, to the federal level.

Jost Energy Law and Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell co-hosted their second annual CLE presentation “Navigating the New Normal in a Changed Oil and Gas Environment” on January 21st for Colorado’s oil and gas industry executives, in-house counsel, and decision makers.