Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$463,151

Total expenses

$432,506

Contributions and grants received

$415,343

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$44,850

Other revenue

$2,958

Total assets, end of year

$1,284,191

Total liabilities, end of year

$0

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$1,284,191

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$398,083

Management and general expenses

$27,298

Fundraising expenses

$7,125

Program service expenses (Part III)

$398,083

Program services were 92.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• POWDER RIVER BASIN RESOURCE COUNCIL'S (POWDER RIVER) MISSION STATEMENT REMAINS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR OUR WORK: THE PRESERVATION AND ENRICHMENT OF WYOMING'S AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AND RURAL LIFESTYLE. THE CONSERVATION OF WYOMING'S UNIQUE LAND, MINERAL, WATER, AND CLEAN AIR RESOURCES CONSISTENT WITH RESPONSIBLE USE OF THOSE RESOURCES TO SUSTAIN THE LIVELIHOOD OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF WYOMING'S CITIZENS TO RAISE A COHERENT VOICE IN THE DECISIONS THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND LIFESTYLE. POWDER RIVER WAS FOUNDED IN 1973 BY RURAL LANDOWNERS OF NORTHEAST WYOMING WORKING TO PROTECT THEIR LAND, WATER, AND AIR FROM THE RAVAGES OF COAL STRIP MINING. POWDER RIVER CURRENTLY HAS MEMBERS THROUGHOUT WYOMING AND SEVERAL OTHER STATES. IN 2023 THERE WERE FIVE LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT WYOMING AFFILIATED WITH POWDER RIVER. POWDER RIVER BASIN RESOURCE COUNCIL IS THE ONLY GROUP IN WYOMING THAT ACTIVELY ADDRESSES AGRICULTURAL AS WELL AS ENERGY AND CONSERVATION ISSUES. THE GROUP UNITES BOTH INDIVIDUALS WITH STRONG CONSERVATION CONVICTIONS AND RANCHERS AND FARMERS WITH A STRONG LAND STEWARDSHIP ETHIC AROUND A SHARED VISION TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE WYOMING'S QUALITY OF LIFE. ALSO, POWDER RIVER IS THE ONLY GROUP THAT ADDRESSES SPLIT ESTATE AND PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC LAND ISSUES. POWDER RIVER MEMBERS WRITE EDITORIALS AND LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR REGARDING THE ISSUES WE ADDRESS, WHICH ARE THEN PUBLISHED IN LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWSPAPERS AS WELL AS ONLINE NEWS SITES. POWDER RIVER PUBLISHES THE POWDER RIVER BREAKS ON A BIMONTHLY BASIS FROM JANUARY/FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER/DECEMBER EACH YEAR. THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS INFORMATION ON THE ISSUES AND PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY POWDER RIVER. IT IS PROVIDED TO MEMBERS AND IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT LIBRARIES ACROSS THE STATE AND OTHER DESIGNATED DROP SITES. POWDER RIVER MAINTAINS A WEBSITE AT WWW.POWDERRIVERBASIN.ORG THAT INFORMS AND EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ON ISSUES THE ORGANIZATION ADDRESSES. POWDER RIVER ALSO HAS A YOUTUBE CHANNEL WHERE OUR EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE. WE ALSO MAINTAIN A LIBRARY IN OUR OFFICE CONTAINING HISTORICAL AND CURRENT DOCUMENTS RELATED TO WATER, LAND, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES AT OUR OFFICE BASED IN SHERIDAN. POWDER RIVER'S WORK IS OVERSEEN BY A 14-MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS. BOARD MEMBERS ARE ELECTED FROM AND BY THE POWDER RIVER MEMBERSHIP FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM. AS A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, MEMBERS DECIDE THE DIRECTION AND FOCUS OF POWDER RIVER'S WORK. MEMBERS BRING RESOLUTIONS FOR A VOTE OF MEMBERSHIP APPROVAL AT THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD IN NOVEMBER, WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. EVERY YEAR A KEYNOTE SPEAKER OR PANEL PROVIDES INSIGHTS AND INFORMATION ON SELECTED ISSUES AND IS OPEN TO QUESTIONS FROM AN AUDIENCE THAT NORMALLY RANGES FROM 85 TO 150 PEOPLE. IN 2024, WE CELEBRATED OUR 52ST ANNUAL MEETING: ONE BIG SMALL TOWN OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER WAS DAVID ROMTVEDT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF WYOMING POET BARABARA SMITH. EVERY YEAR POWDER RIVER ALSO SPONSORS AWARDS AT THE WYOMING STATE SCIENCE FAIR FOR PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION ON THE PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEMS OF WYOMING. THE YOUTH IN CONSERVATION AWARDS ARE CASH AWARDS TO SELECTED PARTICIPANTS IN THE SCIENCE FAIR WHOSE PROJECTS MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD. THESE AWARDS HONOR STUDENTS WHOSE SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS STUDY WYOMING ECOSYSTEMS, CONSIDER IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OR OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE, OR EXPLORE INNOVATIVE ENERGY ALTERNATIVES. THE WINNERS IN 2024, SELECTED BY POWDER RIVER BOARD MEMBERS, WERE: GREYBULL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TYLER SEARFOSS FOR HIS SENIOR PROJECT IN ANIMAL SCIENCE "A CONTINUING ANALYSIS OF NEMATODE VIABILITY: MITIGATION OF AGROCHEMICAL IMPACTS ACROSS DIFFERENT SOIL PROFILES UTILIZING ORGANIC CARBON AND NITRATE". THE WINNER FROM TECH TREP ACADEMY IN LANDER IN THE JUNIOR DIVISION WAS MICAH SMEDTS "LIVING WITH BEAVERS: AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND OPINIONS THROUGH LEARNING ABOUT CASTOR CANADENSIS" SHELBY HOOBLER OF CHEYENNE EAST HIGH SCHOOL RETURNED WITH HER PROJECT "VARIABILITY OF SOIL RRNA PATTERNS OF BACTERIA AND ARCHAEA IN A DISTURBED RIPARIAN AREA" TO PRODUCE A UNIQUE BUILDING MATERIAL. IN 2024, POWDER RIVER CONTINUED EFFORTS TO INCREASE CONSUMER ACCESS TO LOCAL FOODS BY PROMOTING LOCAL FOODS AVAILABILITY AND REGULARLY MEETING WITH AREA FOOD PRODUCERS. IN APRIL WE HOSTED LEANN MILLER "THE VEGGIE LADY" OF CASPER WHO EXPLAINED HOW HER BUSINESS OF CONNECTING WYOMING-GROWN FOOD TO CONSUMERS AROUND THE STATE HAS GROWN AND HOW LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE OPERATION. WE ALSO MAINTAINED THE SHERIDAN SEED LIBRARY AT THE SHERIDAN COUNTY FULMER LIBRARY, WHICH CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE HIGH DEMAND. WE CONTINUED SUPPORTING THE SHERIDAN FOOD FOREST, WHICH IS A PUBLIC SOURCE OF FOOD AND AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, AS WELL AS HABITAT FOR NATIVE POLLINATORS. THIS YEAR WE HELD AN EVENT IN AUGUST TO CELEBRATE THE GROWTH OF THE NORTHERN CHEYENNE MEDICINAL GARDEN AT THE FOOD FOREST. OVER 80 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDED TO LEARN FROM TWO NORTHERN CHEYENNE EDUCATORS AND ETHNOBOTANISTS ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL USES AND LORE OF THESE NATIVE PLANTS. WE REMAINED ACTIVE IN THE WYOMING FOOD COALITION, WHICH IS WORKING TO UNITE THE LOCAL FOODS COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE. POWDER RIVER HELPED FARMERS AND RANCHERS INTERESTED IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE BY PARTICIPATING IN THE SHERIDAN COUNTY WORKING LANDS DAY AND THE WYOMING COLLABORATIVE FOR HEALTHY SOILS. THE COAL INDUSTRY'S DOWNWARD SPIRAL THAT STARTED IN 2009 CONTINUED IN 2023 WITH MINE PRODUCTION AND EMPLOYMENT REMAINING LOW. POWDER RIVER CONTINUES TO BE A VOICE OF PUBLIC INTEREST TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE PROTECTION FOR OUR LAND AND PEOPLE AS THE INDUSTRY WINDS DOWN, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMELY RECLAMATION. INFLUENCED BY OUR PRESSURE, ALL MINES HAVE REPLACED SELF-BONDING WITH THIRD-PARTY SURETY BONDS, WHICH NOW GIVES COMPANIES AN ECONOMIC INCENTIVE TO RECLAIM ENOUGH TO SEEK BOND RELEASE. ALONG WITH OUR ALLIES, WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR MEANINGFUL REFORM TO THE FEDERAL COAL PROGRAM. WE SUPPORTED THE OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION & ENFORCEMENT (OSMRE) NEW RULE TO IMPROVE THE CITIZEN COMPLAINT PROCESS. WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR CLOSURE OF OUTDATED, INEFFICIENT COAL POWER PLANTS. WE SUPPORTED PLANS FROM THE STATE'S LARGEST UTILITY TO CLOSE SOME OF THE DIRTIEST COAL PLANTS IN THE STATE. WE CONTINUE TO COMMENT AND TESTIFY BEFORE THE DEQ, EPA, AND WYOMING PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (PSC) TO SUPPORT STRONGER POLLUTION CONTROLS AND COAL ASH CLEANUP EFFORTS. WE HAVE BEEN A LEADER IN OPPOSING THE STATE'S EFFORTS TO PROLONG COAL'S USAGE BY REQUIRING EXPENSIVE CARBON CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY ON OLD COAL PLANTS. CARBON CAPTURE ON COAL PLANTS WILL PROLONG USING COAL AS AN ENERGY SOURCE WHILE ALSO RAISING RATES FOR UTILITY CUSTOMERS. IN 2024, POWDER RIVER'S ORGANIZING AND CAMPAIGN WORK AROUND OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON PROTECTING WYOMING'S FRESHWATER RESOURCES, REDUCING AIR POLLUTION TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND PUSHING THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) TO REFORM THE FEDERAL OIL AND GAS PROGRAM. WORKING WITH OUR AFFILIATE, CHEYENNE AREA LANDOWNERS COALITION (CALC), WE CONTINUED TO PUSH THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) FOR BETTER AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS WITH OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO ALERTED THE MEDIA AND DEQ WHEN AN OIL AND GAS PRODUCER VASTLY UNDER-REPORTED A METHANE VENTING INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN LATE 2022, BUT 2023 DATA COLLECTED BY THE UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME ILLUSTRATED THE COMPANY'S NUMBERS WERE OFF BY HUNDREDS OF METRIC TONS OF METHANE. WE CONTINUED SUPPORTING STRONGER RULES FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) THAT WILL REQUIRE BETTER EMISSIONS MONITORING PLUS A REDUCTION IN FLARING AND VENTING OF GAS. WE CELEBRATED THE RELEASE OF BLM'S PROPOSED RULE THAT WILL MAKE LONG-OVERDUE REFORMS TO THE FEDERAL OIL AND GAS PROGRAM. THIS RULE IS THE CULMINATION OF A YEARS- LONG EFFORT BY POWDER RIVER AND ALLIED GROUPS TO REFORM THE PROGRAM. IT WILL IMPROVE THE BONDING SYSTEM AND INCREASE THE RECLAMATION OF INACTIVE WELLS AS WELL AS SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR WILDLIFE PROTECTIONS IN OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT, AND TO HOLD BOTH REGULATORY AGENCIES AND INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABLE FOR KEEPING BOTH GROUND AND SURFACE WATER CLEAN. POWDER RIVER CONTINUED ITS ADVOCACY FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPANSION IN WYOMING AMID THE NATIONAL TRANSITION AWAY FROM COAL. OUR LARAMIE AFFILIATE, THE ALLIANCE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY (ARE), ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES IN ADVANCING COMMUNITY RENEWABLE ENERGY ADOPTION AND EMISSIONS REDUCTION. A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT CAME IN APRIL WHEN THE CITY OF LARAMIE PASSED THE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLAN, ESTABLISHING A ROADMAP TOWARD THE CITY'S GOAL OF NET ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2050. ARE MEMBERS ALSO SUPPORTED ALBANY COUNTY'S APPLICATION FOR A ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER BLUE SKY GRANT THROUGH ADVO

  Expenses $398,083

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

17 November 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.0

Source object

202513219349319071

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