The ironic truth regarding the very short-sighted effort by some legislators to dismantle the Wyoming Business Council is that this notion comes at a time when Wyoming has an almost unprecedented series of opportunities to grow our economy to a significant new level.
The growth of Artificial Intelligence related Data Center expansion, in and of itself, has the strong potential to take our already strong position in that industry to new levels.
In addition, the opportunity to power those facilities, as well as other Wyoming based industries, with Micro and Small Modular Advanced Nuclear Power operations can set Wyoming up to be a national and even global leader in the expansion and utilization of these technologies.
Our existing manufacturing companies are already engaged in the manufacture of components for these plants.
And our potential to be a critical provider in the advanced nuclear power value chain, including mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel manufacture and utilization is a very real possibility.
In addition, the opportunities in the growth of Wyoming based development and manufacturing of Rare Earth Mineral Elements for the ever-increasing need for these materials in advanced technologies are also very significant and very real.
Wyoming business and government leaders should be rallying with the Wyoming Business Council and the Wyoming business community, working together to bring these and other economic opportunities to fruition.
We compete in a regional, national and global market where this type of government and business coordination and cooperation is commonplace and effective.
The notion of government "picking winners and losers" clearly misses the point. We in Wyoming want the WINNERS, both inside and outside of Wyoming, to PICK US!!
The Wyoming Business Council has been and continues to be a KEY component of the coordinated effort to keep Wyoming a viable and relevant competitor in this regional, national and global economy in which we participate.
Please do not let an ignorant, misguided and damaging political agenda keep current and future generations of Wyoming residents from enjoying the vibrant and growing economic opportunities we need and deserve.
Bob Jensen is a former CEO of the Wyoming Business Council
