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Best Practices

Solutions for Transitioning Coal-Dependent Communities

September 2019

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

Getting Real About Rural Resilience

April 2019

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

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

Coal Transition in Montrose County, Colorado

February 2019

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

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

Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust

March 2017

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.

Unconventional Oil and Gas Revenues to Local Governments

March 2015

Med-western US states

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.

Time for a U.S. Natural Resources Trust?

November 2014

Headwaters-staff-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.

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

November 2014

Headwaters-staff-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.

How Is Fracking Shaping Your Community and Economy?

November 2014

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.

North Dakota Not Returning Adequate Oil Revenue to Local Governments

February 2014

North Dakota

This report compares how North Dakota provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional oil extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.

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

February 2014

Wyoming

This report compares how Wyoming provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.

Local Governmments in New Mexico Receive Lowest Share of Oil Revenue

February 2014

New Mexico

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.

Colorado Lags Other States in Taxing Oil, Incentives Increase Volatility

February 2014

Colorado

This report compares how Colorado provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.

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

February 2014

Montana

This report compares how Montana provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.

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

February 2014

Oklahoma

This report compares how Oklahoma provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.

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

February 2014

Texas

This report compares how Texas provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.

Long-Term Energy Development Has Negative Impacts on Western Counties

December 2013

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.

Fiscal Lessons for State and Local Governments

September 2013

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.

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

April 2012

drilling rig

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

Fossil Fuel Extraction and Western Economies

April 2011

Rig Worker in Western Colorado

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.

Energy Revenue in the Intermountain West

November 2009

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.

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