Mark HaggertyMark moved to Bozeman, Montana in 1993 and has worked across the state and the West as a researcher, teacher, community organizer, and facilitator. At Headwaters Economics for the past 10 years, Mark has worked to understand why some communities do better than others, and to communicate key lessons and policy ideas to people working to make their own states, counties, and towns more livable and sustainable. Mark's expertise is in fiscal policy, rural economic development, and community planning. He’s served on local planning boards, worked with county commissioners and state legislators across the West, and testified in Congress at the request of both Republicans and Democrats. Mark holds a B.A. in Economics and M.A. in Geography from the University of Colorado.
— Analysis shows raising Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) population limits for small-population counties would increase total payments by $5.7 to $6.6 million annually.
read moreof PILT Proposal Would Help Small-Population Counties
— A recent review published in the Resources Policy journal with researchers at Montana State University shows that coal communities lack strong transition plans and largely are unprepared for coming changes.
read moreof Coal Communities Lack Strong Transition Plans
— Reforming county payments by establishing a permanent Trust to fund Secure Rural Schools (SRS).
read moreof Endowing Federal Public Land Counties
— Explore and Download National Forest Cut & Sold Report Statistics
read moreof National Forest Timber Sales and Timber Cuts, FY 1980-2017
— Coal fiscal policies vary widely across the West in terms of how revenue is generated, set aside in permanent savings, or spent by state and local governments.
read moreof Comparing Coal Fiscal Policies for Western States
— Explore and Download National Forest Gross Receipts Statistics
read moreof National Forest Gross Receipts from Commercial Activities, FY 1986-2016
— Updated: Headwaters Economics produced two interactive maps to show the range of commercial activities on National Forests at the Forest, state and forest region levels.
read moreof Commercial Activities on National Forests — A guide to planning for the long-term social, economic and environmental well-being of the community of Colstrip, Montana.
read moreof The Context and Status of Colstrip’s Coal-Fired Power Plant
— New analysis and interactive map show how the President's budget proposal cuts county payments and the impact for every county in the nation.
read moreof President’s Budget Proposal Cuts County Payments
— This post compares economic and demographic characteristics of communities where coal-fired power plants have recently retired or are scheduled to retire.
read moreof Communities at Risk from Closing Coal Plants
— Unlike most countries and state governments, the U.S. has not created a natural resources trust which could help meet volatility and spending challenges facing local and county governments.
read moreof Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust — The new Administration’s plans to remove coal regulations should not dampen efforts to shift coal transition planning West to assist displaced workers and diversify coal-dependent communities.
read moreof As Energy Market Forces Shift Coal Woes West, Transition Planning Should Follow
— Compare the effectiveness of states’ oil and natural gas tax policies to see which states ensure that tax revenue is available in the right amount, time, and location to manage drilling-related increases in the local demand for services. See which states invest in long-term infrastructure and economic diversification.
read moreof What Do Local Governments Receive from Oil and Gas Production Taxes?
— Explore the Socioeconomic Context of the Federal Coal Leasing Program
read moreof Federal Coal Program in Context
— County governments are compensated for the tax-exempt status of federal public lands within their boundaries. These payments often constitute a significant portion of county and school budgets, particularly in rural counties with extensive public land ownership.
read moreof County Payments Research — This blog draws on federal data and research to describe more about the local economies of the communities dependent on federal coal.
read moreof Economic Conditions in Communities Dependent on Federal Coal — Lower overall coal generating capacity—the outcome of coal fired power plant retirements and a demand for coal that rises and falls depending on natural gas prices—will create new volatility for coal jobs and for counties, schools, and states that depend on tax revenues from coal.
read moreof Changed Electric Power Markets Create New Volatility for Coal — How national wildlife refuge payments--especially important to rural counties--could be reformed and funded.
read moreof Wildlife Refuge Payments: Reforms and Funding
— How county governments can benefit from reforming wildlife refuge payments.
read moreof Reforming Wildlife Refuge Payments
— While Montana is likely to experience relatively small impacts, coal-dependent communities in Eastern Montana are likely to feel the acute effects of job losses and declining tax revenue in the coming decades.
read moreof Planning for Montana’s Energy Transition
— These interactive maps show how federal land payments are distributed to counties and states. Explore both the Payments History maps as well as the Policy Options maps which project what happens if SRS is not reauthorized or if PILT is reformed into a single payment to counties.
read moreof County Payments: History, Context, and Policy
— Analysis shows that proposed federal royalty reforms will increase the cost of delivering natural gas to domestic power plants by a greater amount than coal.
read moreof Outcomes of Higher Federal Coal and Natural Gas Royalty Rates
— The proposed federal coal royalty reform rule could have substantial revenue benefits for federal and state governments, limited impact on coal production or prices on federal lands, and increased transparency.
read moreof Coal Royalty Reform: Impact on Prices, Production, and State Revenue
— Reform ideas for future county payments from Headwaters Economics as well analysis of proposals made in the House, Senate, and by the President.
read moreof County Payment Reform Ideas, and Analysis of Recent Proposals — The Office of Natural Resources Revenue recently proposed a new rule that would change the way federal coal is valued for royalty purposes. Will it hurt the industry? Yes and No.
read moreof Will Federal Coal Valuation Reforms Hurt the Coal Industry? Yes And No
— This report includes seven major energy-producing states and a new interactive adds four more (AR, LA, and PA). The study and interactive compare how local governments receive production tax revenue from unconventional oil and natural gas.
read moreof Unconventional Oil and Gas Revenues to Local Governments
— This report reviews problems with the current federal royalty system, estimates current effective royalty rates, and offers several reform options.
read moreof Federal Coal Royalty Valuation: Current Structure, Effective Rates, and Reform Options — Compared to other nations and even U.S. states, the federal government is a conspicuous laggard in creating a natural resources trust which would allow for stable, permanent, and ever rising payments to states and local governments without risks to taxpayers.
read moreof Time for a U.S. Natural Resources Trust? — Lower oil prices could be great for the economy, but for the communities dependent on drilling, the price drop may prove challenging for several reasons.
read moreof Falling Oil Prices: Good for the U.S. Economy, Bad for Shale Communities?
— This report compares how North Dakota provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional oil extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof North Dakota Not Returning Adequate Oil Revenue to Local Governments
— This report compares how Wyoming provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof Wyoming Oil Taxes: Highest Rate, Large Savings Compared to Other States
— This report compares how New Mexico provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof Local Governmments in New Mexico Receive Lowest Share of Oil Revenue
— This report compares how Colorado provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof Colorado Lags Other States in Taxing Oil, Incentives Increase Volatility
— This report compares how Montana provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof Montana Oil Tax Policy: No Long-Term Savings, Exposure to Volatility
— This report compares how Oklahoma provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof Oklahoma on Oil: Big Tax Breaks and Low Returns to Local Governments
— This report compares how Texas provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
read moreof Texas Oil Policy: Low Taxes, No Permanent Savings to Offset Volatility
— This report explores the challenges for states and local communities caused by unconventional oil and natural gas development, and fiscal best practices that address them.
read moreof Fiscal Lessons for State and Local Governments
— This post summarizes the Climate Adaptation Report which provides a description of key economic sectors at greatest risk from extreme weather or long-term climate shifts and is intended to prepare the region’s forests, water resources, and communities for a less certain future.
read moreof The Upper Peninsula’s Economy and a Changing Climate
— This graphical analysis reviews the status of Colorado's oil and gas industry including production, drilling activity, tax policy, its role in Colorado’s economy.
read moreof Report: Colorado’s Oil and Natural Gas Industry
— This report analyzes the growing infrastructure and services needs of the Bakken boom and meeting the demands of unconventional energy development.
read moreof Unconventional Oil and North Dakota Communities: State Fiscal Policy Unprepared for Impacts of Energy Development
— Measuring Total Rig Weeks and Changes in Rig Weeks by County
read moreof Oil and Gas Drilling: Rig Weeks Activity 2001 – 2011
— This graphical analysis shows that Utah's oil and gas industry was recovering at the time of the report.
read moreof Report: The Status of Utah’s Oil and Gas Industry
— Compare Status Quo Payments to Single PILT Proposal; or USFWS Proposal to Single PILT
read moreof National Wildlife Refuge Payments
— This study analyzes the fossil fuel economy in five Rocky Mountain states—CO, MT, NM, UT, and WY—and how states and communities can maximize benefits and minimize the costs of energy development.
read moreof Fossil Fuel Extraction and Western Economies
— Research on the history and context of county payments which play an important role in many rural communities--influencing public lands management, economic development, and funding for local schools, roads, and public safety.
read moreof Federal Land Payments to Counties: Background Analysis, History, and Context
— This post summarizes a newsletter discussing the future of county payments, a White Paper to better to understand how possible reforms, and other research items.
read moreof County Payments, Jobs, and Forest Health
— These studies review the fiscal impact on Mineral and Lake counties of the Montana Legacy Project.
read moreof Fiscal Impact of the Montana Legacy Project