Wyoming Coal Industry Gets Good News

For the first time in nearly six years, coal workers in Wyoming are receiving good news. Coal is on the rise. Powder River Basin (PRB) coal producers are reporting a 6% increase in production during the first half of 2021. Six percent may not seem like a lot but for the thousands of people who work the PRB mines news could not come at a better time. The Casper Star Tribune reports: With natural gas prices also rising above $4 and the pandemic rebound, it was expected there would be more of a leveling off for a beleaguered thermal coal…

Wyoming’s largest oil trade group joins lawsuit against Biden’s executive orders

The Wyoming Petroleum Association, whose members produce 90% of the state’s gas, is the latest oil and gas trade organization to join the Western Energy Alliance lawsuit. The lawsuit which was first filed back in January and argues the executive order President Biden issued on the banning on oil and natural gas leases conflicts with existing laws. Pete Obermueller, Petroleum Association president, spoke about joining the lawsuit: He said they understand the administration’s environmental concerns and they are working on emissions. “Emissions rates are down and have been going down for a long time as a result of technology. We…

A Permanent Leasing Ban Would Be Devastating for Wyoming

The oil and gas industry continues to suffer under President Biden’s administration and their recent executive orders. Wyoming specifically is feeling the effects of the overreaching orders enacted by President Biden. On Thursday, the University of Wyoming published a study on how a permanent drilling ban would affect the state’s economy and energy industry. The UW study concluded a potential permanent ban on new leasing for oil and gas development could have “significant potential impacts” on Wyoming’s economy and result in lower oil and gas production nationwide. The UW Study concluded that “declines in state revenues associated from oil and gas production could reach over…

Growing Opposition to Haaland Nomination for Interior Secretary

The list of Senators opposing the nomination of Deb Haaland for Secretary of Interior is growing. Late last week, Montana Senator Steve Daines was the first to say he will block Haaland’s nomination. Now Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso of Wyoming have indicated they will also likely oppose the nomination.  It’s clear Congresswoman Haaland’s support of the controversial Green New Deal, her backing of Joe Biden’s disastrous executive orders as well as her constant attacks on the energy industry are at the forefront of concerns listed by the Senators. “Her position on those issues is very contrary to Wyoming’s best interests and, quite…

Fracking Revenue Plunging in Western States

Shortly after his election in 2009, President Obama famously said that elections have consequences. Unfortunately for citizens of Western states like Colorado and Wyoming, they in particular may suffer the most from Joe Biden’s potential victory. There has been a lot of speculation around Biden’s potential fracking policy, and for good reason. On the campaign trail, Biden was inconsistent in his calls for an outright ban on fracking, a ban on federal lands, or none at all. But, one thing is very clear – the subsequent consequences of his decision will be severe. Forbes reports: Federal revenues coming into the states…

Wyoming Launches Energy Rebound Program

This past Wednesday Governor Mark Gordon (R-WY) announced a stimulus program aimed to help the oil and gas industry recover from the economic struggle it is currently facing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the CARES Act, the program is making $15 million available to operators and will help provide resources for well cleanup and finishing uncompleted oil and gas wells. Gov. Gordon discusses how this program will not only help the individual workers but Wyoming’s economy as a whole. “These funds will have a direct impact on Wyoming’s employment rate and put people back to work in our oil…

Obama Judge Unilaterally Halts Oil And Gas Drilling In Wyoming

The energy industry is a vital component of Wyoming’s economy, and environmental activists are cheering now that a federal judge has gone so far as to ban oil and gas drilling in parts of the state. Citing climate change, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras, an Obama-appointed judge, “temporarily blocked oil and gas drilling on thousands of acres of public land in Wyoming.” This is judicial activism run amok. Contreras, who was appointed by Obama in 2012, is putting jobs and families on the line. It crosses a line when one man can decide unilaterally the fate of energy workers across the state…