Lubnau: Beware the conflict merchants

NOVEMBER 02, 2014 11:45 AM  •  BY TOM LUBNAU

Casper star tribune

On the third floor of the Capitol, in the lobby outside the House chambers, hang two composites from the 1913 Legislature. The Republicans and the Democrats refused to be in the same photograph. So two composites were created – one for each party. The minority party composite has a three-sided rip through the center of the composite, where the speaker of the House crashed the composite down on the minority leader's head, ripping the photograph. We have been passionate about politics in Wyoming for a long time.

And, although politics in Wyoming has been a rough and-tumble affair at times, you could always count on the integrity and accuracy of the information you receive about a candidate for public office.

A few things have changed recently, which make being an informed voter more difficult. First, the rise of social media has opened up a proliferation claims. However, the information contained on social media may not necessarily be accurate. If the story is too outrageous to be true, it probably is. No one in Wyoming is injecting children with microchips to track their every move, as a recent series of social media posts claimed.

Second, the conflict merchants have invaded Wyoming politics. The conflict merchant’s method of operation is similar in most every case. First, the merchant will tell you that some elected official, elected body or candidate is out to rob you of your rights, tax you into oblivion, steal your birthday or some other outrageous claim. Then, the will tell you that their organization is the only entity standing up for you, and uncovering and stopping these outrageous acts. Finally, (and here is the key), they will ask you to send money to support their cause. Sometimes the claims are true. Mostly, the claims are exaggerated.

Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court has made it possible for a multi-millionaires to finance election propaganda anonymously. They create groups with highfalutin names with words like Republic, Freedom, Honesty and Constitution. Under the cover of the IRS 501(c)(4) name, they fund mailers, commercials and white papers. Without knowing who is trying to buy your vote, these 501(c)(4) entities publish information that back their cause. Some of the information may be accurate, but most of the time it is slanted. Those last-minute mailers tell you to vote a certain way, or some impending doom will happen.

The truth of the matter is the only person who can defend your constitutional rights is you. Sending money to a conflict merchant only means you give your hard-earned dollars to the conflict merchant. You can defend you constitutional rights by becoming an informed voter. If you find something outrageous, pick up the phone and call candidate. Wyoming is small enough that you should know your candidates on a first name basis. Don’t believe rumors, innuendo or outrageous statements without checking them out. People prey on your good intentions and your lack of time to become informed.

So, I ask you to frequent reputable information sources. Dig for the truth. Become informed. More than anything else, vote.

Tom Lubnau is a Gillette attorney, member of the state Legislature for 10 years and currently serves as speaker of the Wyoming House. He is not running for re-election.

http://trib.com/opinion/columns/lubnau-beware-the-conflict-merchants/article_3acbb717-f677-5653-be15-debf4879356a.html

Wyoming Lawmakers Team Up with Counterparts in Western States to Tackle Major Policy Issues

NEWS RELEASE

August 12, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                

Contact: CSG Media Relations

The Council of State Governments

(859) 244-8246

Wyoming Lawmakers Team Up with Counterparts in Western States to Tackle Major Policy Issues 

Legislators Advocate for Wyoming Energy, Education, Economy and Major State Issues at CSG West Annual Conference 

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Several Wyoming legislators joined state officials from across the West to tackle major policy issues during the joint Council of State Governments National/CSG West Annual Conference Aug. 9-13 in Anchorage, Alaska. 

During the five-day conference, Wyoming legislators attended the various CSG-West committees to which they have been assigned to address policy issues affecting the West. Included were overreach of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), energy, education, healthcare, transportation and fiscal issues.

“As an energy producing state, we need to have a seat at the table to engage with lawmakers from other western states,” said Wyoming House Speaker Pro Tem Rosie Berger, who served as CSG West chair in 2012. “It is critical for western legislators to come together to discuss matters that may affect western interests. Cooperation between the Western states is critical to dealing with Federal overreach such as the Endangered Species Act.

U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming discussed federal energy policy and the impact on states during the CSG West Energy and Public Lands Committee session Sunday. Nearly every energy issue federal policymakers address has an impact on state legislatures, especially energy producing states like Wyoming. The U.S. Senate is looking at a number of key issues that could affect states. This session also explored current issues that will affect the states, and examined management of federal lands in the West. 

In an environment where tensions are heavy between the Federal Government and the Western states, the CSG conference provided a venue for state officials from all political parties to come together to exchange information about important state policy topics and share best practices in search of solutions to address the problems states face today. It also provided an opportunity for professional development for state leaders.

Speaker Pro Tem Berger notes the importance of the multi-branch discussions at CSG conferences. CSG is the only national organization that includes state executive, legislative and judicial branch officials in its membership.

“Effective communication among all three branches of government is essential,” Berger said. I am most impressed by the collective skills of the participants and how we strive to find common ground to develop better outcomes to complex issues. As leaders of the 21st century, the CSG West meeting provides an environment to learn from leaders across the nation and gives time to build on personal strengths.”

The meeting kicked off Saturday with two policy academies built around critical issues facing state legislatures across the country—public pensions and U.S. workforce development, a focus of 2014 CSG Chair Mark Norris, Tennessee Senate majority leader, in his initiative, “State Pathways to Prosperity.”

CSG West, which covers 13 Western states and three U.S. territories, opened the meeting with sessions about arctic policy in relation to the future of energy in the West; fiscal issues facing Western states; economic development and trade; and the growing and competing demands for water in the region.

The agenda includes topics covering important policy areas for all states, including agriculture, education, energy and the environment, health care and fiscal issues.

Highlights include:

•    A CSG National session focused on the new Clean Air Act regulations affecting carbon emissions; 

•    A joint session looking at the three major goals in health care: improving patient care, creating healthier communities and reducing health care costs;

•    A joint CSG National/CSG West session on the importance of preschool in college- and career-readiness;

•    A CSG National session focused on the CSG Overseas Voting Initiative, which aims to improve the voting experience of U.S. military personnel and other citizens living overseas; and

•    A CSG West discussion focused on the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington, as well as medical marijuana policies in other states throughout the country.

In addition, CSG West remembered longtime Wyoming state Senator John Schiffer, who chaired CSG West’s Energy and Public Lands Committee and was recognized with the organization’s Distinguished Faharenkamp Leadership Award in 2012, and Wyoming Rep. Sue Wallis, who was a member of the CSG West Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

For more about the meeting, visit http://www.csg.org/2014annualconference/default.aspx. 

WY Legislature Delivers on Promise to Deliver ‘Balanced, Conservative’ Budget

FY 2015/2016 Budget Holds the Line on Spending While Making Focused Investments in Infrastructure, Education and Energy

March 6, 2014

Cheyenne, Wyoming – The Wyoming State Legislature concluded today after delivering on its promise to produce a balanced, conservative budget that holds the line on spending while investing in Wyoming’s people, jobs, communities, responsible mineral development and education.

Governor Matt Mead signed the Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Budget Bill into law yesterday. The budget appropriates $3.32 billion, a slight decrease from the previous biennium with nearly 300 fewer state employees. It also does not grow the size of state agencies.

Most importantly, this budget plans for the future. The budget contributes to the growth of the Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account (LSRA), commonly referred to as the “rainy day fund,” while the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund (PWMTF) also continues to grow. Legislators said the budget does more with less and strikes an appropriate balance between current needs and long-term planning.

During a bipartisan press conference at the Capitol today, lawmakers addressed several measures that passed the Legislature including a budget that prepares Wyoming to be a major player in the world economy. The budget makes targeted investments in infrastructure and education, two critical components for growing the Wyoming economy in the long-term. The budget provides over $175 million in funding for cities, towns and counties to grow and improve infrastructure.

“This budget establishes the foundation we need today for economic development tomorrow,” said Senate President Tony Ross. ”This will ensure today’s generation, and those to come, have the opportunity for meaningful careers and good paying jobs right here in Wyoming.”

The Budget also makes focused investments in education. Over the next two years, Wyoming’s K-12 schools will also see an influx of $250 million for new school construction and major maintenance to give Wyoming kids the best environment and tools to achieve success. The budget also includes $102 million for new construction and major maintenance at Wyoming’s community colleges and UW, which play a critical role in providing the advanced knowledge and technical training citizens need to compete for high-wage jobs.

“It’s not enough to just educate and prepare Wyoming citizens for competitive jobs,” said Senate House Speaker Pro Tempore Rosie Berger. “We need to bring these jobs right here to Wyoming. This starts by putting in place world-class infrastructure that entices the private sector to set up shop in Wyoming.”

This session the Legislature also concentrated on defending and promoting Wyoming’s energy sector, a critical job and revenue producer for the state. The Budget invests in projects that will spark innovation and help ensure a future role for mineral production, including the study of an energy mega-campus designed to be a one-stop shop for commercial scale industries in Wyoming. Lawmakers also passed legislation that helps safeguard the future of Wyoming coal by allowing the state to take an active role in establishing terminals capable of exporting Wyoming coal to new and existing markets.

“Promoting and protecting our state’s extractive industries is essential to safeguarding revenues, jobs and our local economies and building reserves,” said House Speaker Tom Lubnau. “It is vital to preserve and protect Wyoming’s rich natural resources that will power us into the future.”

The Legislature also took action against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), passing measures to minimize EPA intrusion and keep state control over regulation of mineral extraction.

With the aim of ensuring the public has adequate access to the Wyoming State Capitol and legislative process, the Legislature designated $259 million to the renovation and restoration of the Capitol and adjacent office building. The Capitol is nearly 130 years old and in dire need of repair. In its current state, the Capitol is vulnerable to fire and fails to meet a number of important safety codes.

“The Capitol is a symbol of our state and a part of Wyoming’s history, a part worth preserving,” said President Ross.

Lawmakers Eye Energy “Mega-Campus” to Boost and Sustain WY Economy

Legislators Tour Canadian Energy Complex as Part of Initial Project Study

March 5, 2014

Cheyenne, Wyoming – Nine Wyoming lawmakers traveled to Alberta, Canada last weekend to get a first hand look at a major energy complex that has spurred billions of dollars in economic investment and created thousands of high-paying jobs. During the Budget Session, legislators designated funding to study the energy mega-campus and the potential benefits a similar model could bring to Wyoming.

Legislators from the House and Senate toured Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Complex, a one-stop shop for commercial scale industries that spans over 200,000 acres. Lawmakers who participated in the trip were Representatives Kermit Brown, Steve Harshman, Michael Greear, Bob Nicholas, David Miller and John Freeman and Senators Ogden Driskill, Larry Hicks and Jim D. Anderson.

Canada successfully leveraged many of its natural resources to create one of the world's most attractive locations for chemical, petrochemical, oil, and gas investment. Nearly sixteen years after the project launched, the region is now home to over 40 companies with over $25 billion in investments.

“This is one of many options the Legislature is looking at to bolster and sustain our energy economy for the long-term,” House Majority Floor Leader Kermit Brown said. “With an energy mega campus such as this, the potential is there to create lots of high paying jobs for Wyoming citizens. The average income for employees at Alberta’s complex is estimated to be $148,000.”

According to Brown, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland complex utilizes a number of symbiotic relationships that allow different industries to work in tandem, minimizing costs and maximizing benefits. The infrastructure exists within the campus, in terms of roads, pipeline corridors and other necessary functions, that allows one process to finish and another to pick up where the first left off, creating a “one-stop” shop for production.

“This is only a conceptual idea right now,” Brown added. “But if Wyoming is going to get beyond being seen as a colony only mined for it’s resources, we have to find ways to add value to our production chain.”

Op-Ed: Education and Economic Development Go Hand in Hand

March 5, 2014

By House Speaker Pro Tempore Rosie Berger and House Majority Whip Tim Stubson

Wyoming’s greatest export should never be its children. Too often, Wyoming’s best and brightest are forced to leave our state to pursue a career or even just to make ends meet. This is a continual threat to our economy, our families and our way of life.

However, this doesn’t need to be a daily reality faced by Wyoming families. Wyoming can lay the foundation today to ensure this generation and those to come have the opportunity for meaningful careers and good paying jobs right here in our state. Young people who want to stay in Wyoming should have that opportunity, and our communities and families will be all the stronger for it.

We can accomplish this by strengthening our private sector and providing citizens with the education they need to fill the jobs we build for. Education and economic development go hand in hand and Wyoming is poised to bolster both of these in the fiscal year 2015-2016 budget.

Be it providing a world-class primary education, or the opportunity for vocational and technical training, Wyoming must arm our citizens with the education and experience they need to be successful in today’s workplace. The Legislature is doing just that by making strategic investments in Wyoming’s education system, from pre-school through college. A strong educational foundation opens doors for our citizens, adds value to our local economies and enriches our communities.

Over the next two years, Wyoming’s K-12 schools will see an influx of $250 million for new school construction and major maintenance to give Wyoming kids the best environment and tools to achieve success. We’re making targeted investments in early childhood education. We’re also protecting education for the future by creating a new fund, the School Foundation Reserve Account, to shield school funding from a projected loss of mineral revenue.

The University of Wyoming and community colleges across the state play a critical role in providing the advanced knowledge and technical training Wyoming citizens need to compete for high-wage jobs. The budget includes $102 million for new construction and major maintenance at Wyoming’s community colleges and UW. The budget also expands the Hathaway Scholarship Program – the first increase for the awards since the program’s start in 2005. The Legislature also budgeted an additional $14 million to address enrollment growth and a $7.5 million endowment program in order to leverage local resources.

Additional college investments include a top-tier science program at UW, the Flex Tech Building at Laramie County Community College, a tech center at Eastern Wyoming College, the Student Success Center at Central Wyoming College and specialized centers at Northern Wyoming Community College District in Sheridan and Gillette.

However, it’s not enough to just educate and prepare Wyoming citizens for competitive jobs. We need to bring these jobs right here to Wyoming. This starts by putting in place world-class infrastructure that entices the private sector to set up shop in Wyoming. The budget provides over $175 million in funding for cities, towns and counties. We also increased funding for local capital projects from $54 million to $70 million, providing additional dollars to invest in key projects, which are sure to yield long-term results.

This session we’re moving forward legislation that helps safeguard the future of Wyoming coal, including a bill that would allow our state to take an active role in establishing export terminals capable of exporting our coal to new and existing markets. Another project is a “bolted-on-site” laboratory that incentivizes real world solutions for processing power plant emissions in value added processes.

The budget also institutes the study of an energy mega-campus designed to be a one-stop shop for commercial scale industries in Wyoming. The project is inspired by Alberta’s Industrial Heartland in Canada, the country’s largest hydrocarbon processing region, not to be confused with the oil sands development. Canada successfully leveraged its natural resources to create a region that is now home to over 40 companies with over $25 billion in investments.

Wyoming’s best resource has always been its people. And the greatest thing we can do to protect and grow that resource is to invest in the education, resources and infrastructure necessary to Wyoming jobs and careers worthy of their talents. By prioritizing Wyoming’s infrastructure and education, we are laying the foundation for economic growth that will present new and exciting job opportunities for Wyoming citizens today and into the future.

Planning for Wyoming’s Future

February 17, 2014

BY

Senator Eli Bebout

Representative Steve Harshman

Co-Chairs of the Joint Appropriations Committee

President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” It’s one thing to talk about making plans for the future, it’s another to take the necessary actions to plan ahead for the things you can predict and, more importantly, the things you cannot.

Fortunately, Wyoming has done just that and, as a result, we have come through rocky fiscal times ahead of the curve.

And it is no accident.

The Wyoming State Legislature worked hard to control the growth of government over the last four years while developing reserves required to maintain services. Their sound judgment has allowed us to stave off severe budget cuts and laid the foundation for smart budgeting that strikes a balance between saving, investing and spending.

It’s through this lens we developed the Fiscal Year 2015/2016 biennial budget that prioritizes Wyoming needs and invests in Wyoming’s people, jobs, communities, responsible mineral development and education. The bill appropriates $3.32 billion of general funds, approximately the same as the previous biennium. The budget does more with less, decreasing the size of government while making focused investments in Wyoming’s infrastructure that create jobs and maintain a high quality of life throughout our communities.

Most importantly, this budget plans for the future. In Wyoming, approximately 75 percent of our budget is derived from mineral production which is subject to world markets, weather and the regulatory whims of Washington D.C. Future dips in revenue are not a possibility, they’re a given. The war on coal is being waged right here in Wyoming’s backyard. The overreach of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already had detrimental impacts on energy production in Wyoming, and things only stand to get worse.

Wyoming’s private sector bears the brunt of these changing dynamics. Energy producers must frequently acclimate to regulatory and market variations that alter their business models and plans for the future. It is because of their innovation and adaptability that Wyoming has the revenues to fund this budget cycle. The challenge we face is planning today for the next decade. What should we spend and what should we save? Responsible saving has served us well and we need to continue this practice going forward.

To protect against anticipated revenue fluctuations, Wyoming established the Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account (LSRA), commonly referred to as the “rainy day fund,” and the people of Wyoming voted to create the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund (PWMTF) as part of the Wyoming Constitution in 1974. The PWMTF was established with the goal of setting aside a portion from the extraction of minerals (severance tax) so we could sustain our way of life and keep taxes low when the minerals are gone.  Further amendments to our Constitution and statutes have allowed up to 55 percent of the fund to be invested in equities. An additional 1 percent of the severance tax was designated to the fund in 2005. Currently we save just over one-third of the severance tax in the PWMTF. We spend the other two-thirds every year to provide services.

In Fiscal Year 2003, the PWMTF produced $59 million in investment income for the state. Last year, it produced more than $366 million. It is through careful planning and discipline that we were able to double the size of the fund between 2002 and 2010. By continuing to save just one-third of the severance tax we can double it again to $8 billion by 2018. Additionally, the budget directs $33 million to the LSRA at the end of the 2013/2014 budget cycle.

Wyoming currently has $17 billion managed by the State Treasurer’s Office, including these constitutionally protected funds (of which we can only spend the interest):

$6.5 billion in the PWMTF

$3 billion in the Permanent Land Fund (created when Wyoming became a State)

$1.6 billion in the Workers Compensation Fund

$557 million in the Hathaway Scholarship Fund

$119 million in the Excellence in Higher Education Fund

Combined, these funds are on pace to generate nearly $1 billion in returns in this biennium to help fund the government. This is a tremendous hedge against an income tax or increased property taxes like most other states have. These investment returns are literally saving our budget.

The Wyoming Legislature has worked hard and made tough budget decisions to protect future generations. We must continue to set good fiscal policy for future leaders and not saddle our children with a legacy of debt and overspending. Through prudent budgeting and disciplined planning Wyoming can make significant investments in our people, our infrastructure, our children and our future.

House Bill 111

By

Representative John Eklund (HD-10)

Representative David Northrup (HD-50)

Representative Mike Greear (HD-27)
Representative Hans Hunt (HD-2)

We as lawmakers come to the Wyoming State Legislature every year as parents, neighbors, friends, co-workers and members of our local communities. We see our role as an opportunity to make life better in Wyoming – to boost our economy, create jobs, preserve Wyoming’s way of life and improve safety.

The safety of our children is a concern for each and every one of us as lawmakers, and as parents. We send our sons and daughters to school everyday with the assumption that they are protected and will return home safely. As lawmakers it is our solemn obligation to ensure our educational institutions are safe and secure.

House Bill 111 (HB 111) has garnered significant attention, and for good reason. Allowing firearms into our schools is not something to consider lightly. It was after careful consideration and consultation with teachers, administrators and parents we concluded doing nothing to enable educators to protect our children was not an option.

HB 111 empowers local school districts to make the right decisions for their communities and schools. It gives our local school boards the authority to permit – or not permit – teachers, administrators and other school employees who hold concealed carry permits to carry firearms in schools with proper training and authorization. This bill gives authority to local Boards of Education to decide the best way to protect their students and educators. It does not repeal gun free zones on school property, but instead allows local boards to decide – rather than state or federal government.

This measure is particularly important in rural areas, which make up the majority of Wyoming communities. In many towns across our state where there is minimal law enforcement to cover vast distances, response times for emergencies can be slow.  Empowering teachers and school administrators to be able to protect their students in the case of an emergency makes sense.

The scare tactics used by critics of this bill are just that. The truth is House Bill 111 expands local control and 2^nd Amendments rights – two values we hold dear here in Wyoming. The bill does nothing to infringe upon current Second Amendment rights and, in fact, expands gun rights in areas where they are currently prohibited altogether.

In Wyoming, we are incredibly fortunate to have not had to endure a fatal mass school shooting. But this should not give us a false sense of security. We have all watched helplessly tragedies unfold across the country. Now is the time for Wyoming to act before an incident does occur. House Bill 111 is a reasonable approach that stands a chance of approval to give local communities the power to decide for themselves the best way to protect their students.

Majority Applauds EPA Stay on Wind River Reservation Decision

February 14, 2014

Cheyenne, Wyoming – Leadership of the Wyoming State Legislature cautiously lauded a decision yesterday from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enact a stay on a ruling that declared Riverton and surrounding lands are within the borders of the Wind River Reservation.

Last month the State of Wyoming filed a petition asking the EPA to reconsider and also stay any implementation of its decision in December to alter the boundary of the state and Wind River Reservation. In recent weeks the Northern Arapaho Business Council and the Eastern Shoshone also requested a stay.

“I’m pleased the EPA has heeded the Attorney General’s call in issuing a stay,” said Senate President Tony Ross (SD-04). “While the breadth and scope of the EPA decision is still not entirely known, one thing is certain – the overreach of the EPA poses a very real threat to Wyoming’s economy, jobs, energy production and revenues.”

“Bureaucrats in Washington, DC, who have never been to Wyoming, continue to pass rules and regulations based upon ideals and rumors that have no relation to what actually happens here in Wyoming,” said House Speaker Tom Lubnau (HD-31). “The EPA is no exception. While I’m encouraged the EPA has issued a stay, the battle is not over. Wyoming must have the resources it needs to rein in the EPA and protect mineral production.”

While the stay delays implementation of the ruling, it does not change the ruling. Wyoming Attorney General Peter Michael filed an appeal this morning before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the ruling.

Earlier this week, the House and Senate approved introduction today of two key measures that push back on burdensome regulations from the EPA. HouseBill 78 (HB78), sponsored by Representative David Miller (HD-55), empowers the Governor of Wyoming, through the Attorney General, to take action against the overreach of the EPA. Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJ1), sponsored by Senator Jim D. Anderson (SD-2), calls on Congress to require the EPA to respect the primacy of Wyoming in developing guidelines for regulating carbon dioxide emissions, was also cleared for consideration.

House Approves Introduction of Bill to Protect People’s Power During Constitutional Convention

February 13, 2014

The House approved introduction today of House Bill 27 (HB 27), which provides limits on the authority of delegates to a constitutional convention -- ensuring delegates represent the will of the people of Wyoming.  The bill is sponsored by House Speaker Tom Lubnau (HD-31), Representative David Miller (HD-55) and Senator Eli Bebout (SD-26).

Article V of the U.S. Constitution outlines the processes by which the Constitution may be altered, one of which is a national convention. HB 47 would strip a delegate of their authority should they fail to carry out the will of the people of Wyoming.

Chairman Lubnau made the following remarks regarding HB 27.

“For ten years in this body we have worked to minimize the federal government intrusion into the lives of the people of the State of Wyoming. The Feds actions become bolder and more intrusive every year. Like the frog in the pan of water, the feds are slowly turning up the heat on our state government to the point where it will not have any authority … Bureaucrats, who have never been to Wyoming, pass rules and regulations based upon ideals and rumors that have no relation to what happens here in Wyoming. I am always amazed at the audacity. Do they think Wyoming is the way it is by accident?”

“HB 27, if passed by a number of states, would ensure that delegates to a convention called to propose an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution would be faithful to the limits imposed by the states that called it … All this bill does is remove the authority of a Constitutional Convention delegate if that delegate acts outside the authority granted by this body. It is a bill to prevent betrayal of the people of Wyoming if a Constitutional Convention is ever called.”

Wyoming Legislature Takes on EPA

House and Senate Proceed with Measures to Push Back on Burdensome EPA Regulations

February 12, 2014

Cheyenne, Wyoming — The House and Senate approved introduction today of two key measures that push back on burdensome regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which threaten Wyoming’s economy, jobs and revenues.

The House voted to move forward with the introduction of House Bill 78 (HB78), sponsored by Representative David Miller (HD-55). The bill empowers the Governor of Wyoming, through the Attorney General, to take action against the overreach of the EPA. The Obama Administration continues to use the agency to skirt the federal legislative process and enact rules and regulations that have a devastating impact on energy producing states such as Wyoming.

“The war on coal being waged by the Obama Administration has already had detrimental impacts on energy production in Wyoming, and things only stand to get worse,” said Representative Miller. “The EPA continues to thwart the development of coal, natural gas and our access to public lands.”

“Mineral production drives revenues in Wyoming and it’s our responsibility to pushback against the continued threat posed by the EPA,” continued Miller.  

Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJ1), a resolution requesting Congress to require the EPA to respect the primacy of Wyoming in developing guidelines for regulating carbon dioxide emissions, was also cleared for consideration. The resolution is sponsored by Senator Jim D. Anderson (SD-2) who said the fact this resolution has garnered so much support during a session focused on the budget shows its importance.

“It’s been said that we shouldn't fear failure, but we should fear succeeding at things that don't really matter,” said Senator Anderson. “This matters. The overreach of the EPA threatens jobs, our economy and our way of life.

“This resolution is about protecting state's rights and our ability to determine a lot of our own outcomes,” continued Senator Anderson. “Not only are we responsible, but we’re capable of guiding our own future.  

House Speaker Tom Lubnau voiced support of both measures.

“The decline in mineral development has a direct and immediate impact on revenue streams in Wyoming,” said House Speaker Tom Lubnau. “75% of Wyoming’s revenue comes from mineral production, so ensuring a viable future for the energy sector is our responsibility and essential to a fiscally sound future.”

House Bill 78 has been referred to the House Minerals Committee for further consideration. SJ1 is now pending in the Senate Minerals Committee.