Marathon Oil to sell northwest holdings at lossGRAND JUNCTION — Marathon Oil is joining the ranks of companies fleeing northwestern Colorado.
The Daily Sentinel reports (http://bit.ly/1NcWMFd ) that the Houston-based energy firm announced this week that is has agreed to sell its holdings in Colorado’s Piceance (PEE’-awnts) Basin. Marathon is also selling holdings in the Gulf of Mexico and west Texas, under multiple purchase agreements, for a combined total of $80 million.
Marathon purchased the 8,400 acres worth of leases and infrastructure northwest of Parachute for $354 million from Petroleum Development Corp. in 2006.
Other companies to sell their Piceance holdings in recent years have been Bill Barrett Corp., to Vanguard Natural Resources; Antero Resources, to Ursa Resources; and most recently WPX Energy, to Terra Energy Partners LLC in February.
IRS warns taxpayers of scams at deadlineThe Internal Revenue Service is issuing a warning that scammers may try using the April 18 tax deadline to prey on taxpayers by impersonating the IRS and others with fake phone calls and emails.
By email, scam artists try enticing people to click on links in official-looking messages containing questions related to their tax refund. Report these emails to phishing@irs.gov. By phone, many scammers use threats to intimidate and bully people into paying a tax bill. To report the call, use the “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page or call (800) 366-4484. Also, report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
The IRS will never: call to demand payment or call about taxes owed without having mailed a bill; threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have a person arrested for not paying; require a person to use a specific payment method for their taxes, such as a prepaid debit card; ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
More information: IRS.gov.
Firewise offers chipper rental rebateFirewise of Southwest Colorado is offering a chipper rental rebate for residents needing to reduce the slash from wildfire fuels mitigation on private lands. The program, which begins on April 1, 2016, is open to all residents in Montezuma, Dolores, La Plata, San Juan and Archuleta counties.
The program will reimburse residents the lesser of $100/day or 50 percent of the chipper rental cost or mitigation contractor cost. Rebates are also available to homeowner associations that sponsor a chipping day.
The program will run until Oct. 30, 2016. Rebate forms are available at www.southwestcoloradofires.org (for the Homeowner tab) and most equipment rental stores.
Contact Bill Trimarco at 264-0430 or archuletafirewise@gmail.com for more information.
Staff and Associated Press