The Driller Staff

The Department of the Interior this week unveiled a sweeping policy change aimed at accelerating oil and gas leasing on federal lands—part of the Trump Administration’s ongoing push for energy dominance and economic growth.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, provides the EPA with the authority to control hazardous waste from its creation to disposal.

It’s only the first step toward erasing Biden’s key climate policy, but the politics are difficult amid the push for Trump’s tax cuts. The potential climate consequences are profound.

In a significant shift, the Environmental Protection Agency announced this morning a partial rollback of federal regulations aimed at limiting toxic "forever chemicals" in U.S. drinking water

With 99% of Hawai‘i’s drinking water sourced from groundwater, the stakes remain high. 

In 2023, nearly 99% of uranium concentrate used in the U.S. came from abroad, with key sources including Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Vanadium, meanwhile, is almost entirely mined in countries like China, Russia, and South Africa. 

With a dynamic blend of cultural, economic, and technological drivers, the precious metals industry is set to play a pivotal role in the global economy over the next decade.

The decision focuses on the Battle Springs Formation—a deep aquifer in the Great Divide Basin—and clears the way for Lost Creek ISR, LLC, to boost its underground mining efforts.

Zeldin highlighted the agency’s accelerated permit reviews and chemical safety processes as examples of balancing speed with safety.

A mysterious white slurry leaking into the Hutchinson River has triggered a rapid response from federal and state environmental agencies. Investigators traced the spill to a local cement plant, prompting enforcement action and ongoing monitoring.