Dan Boyce

Wildfires have forced the evacuation of people from about 2,000 homes in southwestern Colorado, and the U.S. Forest Service will close the 1.8 million acre San Juan National Forest.

Dozens of cities are vowing to cut their carbon emissions and uphold the U.S. commitment to the Paris climate deal. Despite progress, many are falling short of their most ambitious goals.

The group has been meeting for months to find compromise on whether local governments should be given more say when drilling is proposed near residential and urban areas.

With the Republicans in the majority in both the House and Senate in Washington, there will be changes in energy policy in the next few years. Republicans are pledging to approve the Keystone XL pipeline and to delay or derail the Obama administration's clean air proposals.

Students want to cash in on that growing job market. Those high paying jobs are also attracting petroleum engineering professors. So there are fewer professors to teach ballooning classes.

Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper has declared a compromise to avert a fight over oil and gas drilling. It's meant to solve fracking-related disputes, but it also serves Democrats' political interests.

The oil fields of western North Dakota are bringing vast economic opportunity to a region that just 10 years ago was in decline. Yet, this vitality is rough around the edges and high art and culture are rare commodities. One organization is trying to change that by sending two professional writers into towns most impacted by the boom to conduct creative writing workshops.

The oil rush in and around North Dakota has brought an influx of mostly male workers flush with cash. Law enforcement agencies and activists say that's creating ample opportunity for organized crime — and that more must be done to prevent women from being forced into prostitution.

A year ago, Montana opened the nation's first clinic for free primary healthcare services to its state government employees. It was pitched as a way to improve employee health but faced political opposition. A year later, the state says the clinic is saving money and diagnosing a host of issues.

Oil development in North Dakota and Montana has caused ridership to increase dramatically on the only Amtrak line running through those states. Nationally, the railroad company costs the federal government more than $400 million every year, so rail enthusiasts thought the oil boom might turn around the losing rail proposition in certain regions. But the Empire Builder Line is still not making money.