UW School of Energy Resources Webinar Roundtable Focuses on Recent Executive Orders Feb. 2

Legal and economic experts will examine the recent White House executive orders that suspend energy leases on federal lands during a webinar roundtable Tuesday, Feb. 2. The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) Center for Energy Regulation and Policy Analysis (CERPA) will host the virtual panel discussion.

Preregistration for the free public webinar, which begins at 3 p.m., is highly encouraged because the link capacity is limited. Attendees also may submit questions to the panelists before the event through the preregistration portal.

To preregister, go to www.uwyo.edu/ser/events/index.html. The webinar link is https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/98500814262.

To reduce -- “to the extent possible” -- carbon emissions, steps taken by the federal government have led to the suspension of new energy production on federal lands for 60 days, as well as an indefinite moratorium on issuing new federal oil and gas leases across the nation. The series of orders by President Joe Biden’s administration directs the Secretary of the Interior to pause the granting of all new leases and initiate a thorough review of all existing leasing and permitting practices for energy development on public lands.

The UW panelists will discuss these and related issues, and ancillary effects of the advancement of low-carbon energy technologies.

Panelists are SER Associate Lecturer Kris Koski; SER and College of Business Professor Tim Considine; and Eric Waeckerlin, of Denver, Colo., from the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP. SER Executive Director Holly Krutka will introduce the panel, which will be moderated by CERPA Director Kipp Coddington.

In anticipation of White House orders, the Wyoming Energy Authority in December commissioned an economic report prepared by Considine. The study outlined the fiscal and economic ramifications that Wyoming could face with the possibility of a moratorium on new federal leases for oil and gas companies, or a full drilling ban on onshore federal leases. The results of the study will be featured prominently in the discussion. The study can be found here.

“Federal lands are a tremendous resource for America’s future energy economy, just as they have been in the past and are currently,” Coddington says. “Shutting off new energy and mineral production on federal lands will not be sustainable and will have resounding impacts on endeavors beyond oil and gas production -- including low-carbon and renewables efforts -- all of which Wyoming is leading in.”

SER is steadfast in its commitment to offer insightful and informative guidance on energy policy and development, Krutka says.

The event will be recorded and available to view later. One hour of continuing legal education -- pending an application with the Wyoming State Bar -- will be available.

For more information, call Christine Reed, SER publications and outreach coordinator, at (307) 766-6708 or email christine.reed@uwyo.edu.