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Best Practices

  • Solutions for Transitioning Coal-Dependent Communities

    Solutions for Transitioning Coal-Dependent Communities

    Mark Haggerty

    The most effective fiscal policies for communities facing transition away from coal dependency are those that build wealth over time and strengthen community capacity. Read more

  • Getting Real About Rural Resilience

    Getting Real About Rural Resilience

    Mark Haggerty

    Rural and isolated communities face wrenching economic and demographic transitions. A solution to uncertainty is to focus on resilience. Read more

  • Coal Transition in Montrose County, Colorado

    Coal Transition in Montrose County, Colorado

    Mark Haggerty

    New fiscal and policy assessments help local leaders understand their exposure to declining revenue and policy barriers during a coal transition. Read more

  • Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust

    Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Unconventional Oil and Gas Revenues to Local Governments

    Unconventional Oil and Gas Revenues to Local Governments

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Time for a U.S. Natural Resources Trust?

    Time for a U.S. Natural Resources Trust?

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Falling Oil Prices: Good for the U.S. Economy, Bad for Shale Communities?

    Falling Oil Prices: Good for the U.S. Economy, Bad for Shale Communities?

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • How Is Fracking Shaping Your Community and Economy?

    How Is Fracking Shaping Your Community and Economy?

    Julia Haggerty

    Monitoring can help local governments better understand the socioeconomic impacts caused by energy development, and support requests to industry and state government for assistance to implement appropriate mitigation. Read more

  • North Dakota Not Returning Adequate Oil Revenue to Local Governments

    North Dakota Not Returning Adequate Oil Revenue to Local Governments

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Wyoming Oil Taxes: Highest Rate, Large Savings Compared to Other States

    Wyoming Oil Taxes: Highest Rate, Large Savings Compared to Other States

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Local Governmments in New Mexico Receive Lowest Share of Oil Revenue

    Local Governmments in New Mexico Receive Lowest Share of Oil Revenue

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Colorado Lags Other States in Taxing Oil, Incentives Increase Volatility

    Colorado Lags Other States in Taxing Oil, Incentives Increase Volatility

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Montana Oil Tax Policy: No Long-Term Savings, Exposure to Volatility

    Montana Oil Tax Policy: No Long-Term Savings, Exposure to Volatility

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Oklahoma on Oil: Big Tax Breaks and Low Returns to Local Governments

    Oklahoma on Oil: Big Tax Breaks and Low Returns to Local Governments

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Texas Oil Policy: Low Taxes, No Permanent Savings to Offset Volatility

    Texas Oil Policy: Low Taxes, No Permanent Savings to Offset Volatility

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Long-Term Energy Development Has Negative Impacts on Western Counties

    Long-Term Energy Development Has Negative Impacts on Western Counties

    Patricia Hernandez

    This paper demonstrates that when fossil fuel development plays a prominent, long-term role in local western economies there are negative effects on per capita income, crime rates, and educational attainment. Read more

  • Fiscal Lessons for State and Local Governments

    Fiscal Lessons for State and Local Governments

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Unconventional Oil and North Dakota Communities: State Fiscal Policy Unprepared for Impacts of Energy Development

    Unconventional Oil and North Dakota Communities: State Fiscal Policy Unprepared for Impacts of Energy Development

    Mark Haggerty

    This report analyzes the growing infrastructure and services needs of the Bakken boom and meeting the demands of unconventional energy development. Read more

  • Fossil Fuel Extraction and Western Economies

    Fossil Fuel Extraction and Western Economies

    Mark Haggerty

    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 more

  • Energy Revenue in the Intermountain West

    Energy Revenue in the Intermountain West

    Ben Alexander

    This report examines the extent of energy reserves in the U.S. and on western public lands, and their scale in light of domestic production and consumption trends. Read more

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