News
Solar Energy Permitting in Wyoming: New Tool to Help Developers
Wyoming is anticipating a number of new utility scale solar projects in the coming years citing increased interest from developers. To support this development, the Wyoming Energy Authority, Renewable Energy Coordination Committee recently published the Guide to...
Bitcoin is Booming: Why Wyoming is a Virtual Currency Leader and How the Oil & Gas Industry and Cryptocurrency are Intermingling
Cryptocurrency[1] has become increasingly popular since the creation of the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, in 2009. In the years following the creation of virtual currency, federal agencies and federal courts have struggled to maintain consistency in how...
Six Welborn Attorneys Recognized as Colorado Super Lawyers
Congrats to Welborn attorneys Amy Seneshen and Rebecca W. Watson for being recognized as 3 of the 8 Colorado Super Lawyers in the field of Energy & Natural Resources Law. Allison MacKinnon and Jens Jensen were recognized as Rising Stars in Energy & Natural...
Welborn Attorney Featured in Colorado Super Lawyers Magazine
Welborn is excited to have Jens Jensen featured in Colorado Super Lawyers Magazine!
Biden Orders Conservation of 30% of US Lands and Waters by 2030: What is 30×30?
On January 27, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order (EO) on “tackling the climate crisis.” This EO has received a lot of attention for its provision (§208) “pausing” federal oil and gas leasing. What also deserves attention was the direction (§216) for a...
Back Up The Train!! Wyoming Enacts Further Changes to its Ad Valorem Taxes on Produced Minerals
On November 23, 2020, in “Liens, Taxes and Bankruptcy in Wyoming- Oh My! 2020 Changes to Ad Valorem Tax and Lien Law”, I reported on Wyoming’s attempts to change its ad valorem tax payment and reporting system for produced minerals. The goal was to make ad valorem...
The Importance of Timely Perfecting Statutory Oil and Gas Liens
The COVID pandemic, price volatility, and recent regulatory changes have created financial stress on many E&P Companies as evidenced by an increasing number of bankruptcy filings. Those providing goods and labor in aid of oil and gas development should be aware of...
Five Welborn Attorneys Named as Top Denver Lawyers
Congratulations to five Welborn attorneys for being named some of 5280 Magazine’s Top Lawyers of 2021. This annual list of the best attorneys in the region is voted on by peers from over 50 legal specialties from the seven-county Denver metro area. Our Top Lawyers and...
Which way is the legislative wind blowing for Wyoming energy taxes?
Two interesting bills are making their way through the Wyoming Legislature this session, both concerning the State’s main source of tax revenue – the energy industry. The Legislature’s taxation treatment of oil and gas and wind energy may tell us how elected...
One step forward, but maybe two back, on common law marriage under Colorado law?
Colorado is one of only a handful of states that still recognize the concept of common law marriage today. It remains a crucial concept in the administration of estates in Colorado because a common law spouse is entitled to inherit real property and receive other...
EPA’s Maui Draft Guidance: Industry Left Wondering, “What is a ‘functional equivalent’ of a regulated direct discharge?”
As reported in our prior post about County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund, the Supreme Court punted on providing clear guidance to the regulated community on when a Clean Water Act Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit is...
What’s Next: Producers’ Ability to “Just Say No” to Gas Gathering Agreements in Bankruptcy
Our recent post, “Gas Agreements Rejected For Not Running With Land,” described decisions of the Delaware bankruptcy courts concluding that upstream producers in Wyoming and Colorado could reject gas gathering agreements, including the gas dedication and minimum...