It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Friday, June 5th. I’m Mac Watson
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Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon joined President Trump in Washington, D.C., on Thursday as the president invoked a national security law to send $700 million to the coal industry. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that includes $75 million to boost construction of a coal export terminal in Oakland.
“They're going to fast track construction of the Oakland, California coal port, which is a huge deal, because Governor Gordon has been courting these industry people in Japan, Taiwan, saying, "Look at this clean coal we have in the Powder River Basin, and it is comparably clean, and so without port you can have all the clean coal in the world, but then be kind of stuck when it comes to Asian markets, so actually that's the huge thing is that this gives that outlet.”
While calling Gordon a “great guy,” the president invoked a Cold War-era law designed to boost energy production in the face of national security threats to allocate $700 million in public money for the coal industry.
Read the full story HERE.
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Speaking of coal…The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it is proposing a rule to change an Obama-era 2014 Wyoming regional haze plan that would have shuttered the Dave Johnston Unit 3 power plant in Converse County. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports EPA Region 8 administrator and former Wyoming legislator Cyrus Western called Thursday's announcement a win for Wyoming.
“That plant was due to close by the end of 2027 and they're proposing it's just a start of the process, they're proposing a rule to reverse that, so that it continues its what they say is a lifespan that goes into the 2040s and of course Wyoming jobs, Wyoming production revenue goes along with that.”
Gov. Mark Gordon in an EPA statement Thursday called the maneuver proof “that environmental stewardship and energy production can go hand in hand, and said the proposal reflects a science-driven, sensible approach that relies on real-world data and measurable outcomes rather than predetermined anti-fossil fuel agendas.”
Read the full story HERE.
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President Trump’s lifting of restrictions on motorized use of federal lands dating back to the 1970s has some Wyoming motorsports enthusiasts cheering. But, Outdoors Reporter Mark Heinz reports that others worry that it will cause a wildlands disaster.
“Trump just pretty much wiped the slate clean, and you know, got some mixed reaction today. Of course, I talked to some motor sports enthusiasts, and they said, ‘Hey, this is great, this is cool, that gives us more access for the public. This is what public lands are for.’ Other people are like, ‘motorized users are maybe a small percentage that has a huge impact on the wildlife and all of the users.’ So maybe they, from their perspective, it's maybe a little bit unfair that everywhere we go now there's going to be dirt bikes or ATVs ripping around, like where are we going to go to have quiet spots.”
The Trump administration rescinded Executive Order 11644, issued in 1972 by President Richard Nixon, along with President Jimmy Carter’s 1977 EO 11989, which amended and strengthened Nixon’s order.
Read the full story HERE.
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Wyoming State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz on Thursday said she’s calling for a poll among legislators to see if there is enough support for a special session to address data center concerns, like water use. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that both the governor and Senate President called such a move premature.
“She dispatched a poll to the full legislature, saying, 'Hey, you know, I'm looking at Governor Gordon's order, and I think that the legislature should be addressing this. So, how about a poll to see who's interested? Let's talk about water. Let's talk about some of these controversies surrounding data centers and the Senate President and the Governor were both like the legislative committees, lots of them are working on this. It is a dedicated topic in multiple legislative committees, so let's let them research this and see what happens.”
Steinmetz sent the request in an email to state House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, all legislators, and Legislative Service Office Director Matt Obrecht.
Read the full story HERE.
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I’ll have more news from Cowboy State Daily right after this.
Cowboy State Daily News continues now….
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Wyoming ranchers rallied at the state Capitol on Thursday demanding action against what they call a “wind wall” of turbines across the state. Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean reports that one rancher says wind power is threatening Wyoming’s rural future.
“It’s the sheer scale of it that’s riling these folks up. These are people who understand private property rights. They're not against that, and they're not saying wind the clock back, you know, and they're not saying we don't ever want any more wind farms ever. But what they are saying is, look at the map, look at how big of a swath this is cutting, and think about how is that going to affect wildlife? How does that affect agriculture and farming? You know, what is the legacy we're leaving to future generations?”
Ranching family members came to the Capitol in Cheyenne to speak out against a “wind wall” in southeastern Wyoming that stretches from Casper to Cheyenne and beyond.
Read the full story HERE.
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A Laramie couple was bound over to felony-level court this week after a meth-filled syringe was found in their baby's crib. Cowboy State Daily’s Kolby Fedore reports that the couple claimed the syringe belonged to the other, while the baby’s mother admitted using meth, according to court documents.
“A probation officer was doing a routine check when she knocked on the door of Alicia Edwards, when Edwards didn't answer the door, law enforcement went around behind the building, and they found Edwards and her husband and her partner, Edward Miller, hiding in a shed. They ordered them out. Edwards admitted to using meth. They also found various paraphernalia and methamphetamine inside the shed. At that point, law enforcement was called to the scene, and when they searched the home, they found a hypodermic needle inside the baby's crib.”
Alyisha Edwards and Edward Miller are each charged with one count of a child being present where meth or fentanyl is possessed, a felony that could put them in prison for up to 10 years each.
Read the full story HERE.
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A Cheyenne man is suing Secretary of State Chuck Gray after Gray denied his bid to get on the Republican primary ballot to elect a virtual intelligence personality to the U.S. Senate. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that Gray says, “I won’t tolerate a mockery of our electoral system.”
“Victor Miller is saying, "Oh no, I'm a real human and qualified to be on this ballot. I'm gonna hand over my spot to this bot once I get it, but I'm a real human and have a right to be on this ballot, whereas Secretary of Just Gray is more casting that as a veneer and saying, "No, no bots on the ballot, so we're not going to make a mockery of the elections.”
Victor Miller is a human being. But he’s promised to give his spot, if he can get one, on the Wyoming Republican primary election ballot to “Virtual Integrated Citizen” (VIC). That's an artificial intelligence bot that Miller says is part of a long plan to replace politicians.
Read the full story HERE.
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Scientists are excited about the possibility of colorful aurora shows on Thursday and Friday nights and Wyoming is in the target zone. Cowboy State Daily’s Andrew Rossi reports that conditions for this event are being compared to May, 2024, which provided some of the most colorful shows in decades.
“It's a g3 Geomagnetic Storm that's three coronal mass ejections combining together over Earth's atmosphere, and now recent report I saw said that there were up to four, so it's possible that there was a spectacular aurora over the skies of Wyoming on Thursday night, and if it was strong enough, it's possible that we could see more color and more aurora as we get into Friday evening.”
Wyoming aurora enthusiasts are already anticipating a good show, as experts say there might not be another one this good for another 10 years or more.
Read the full story HERE.
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And that’s today’s news. Get your free digital subscription to Wyoming's only statewide newspaper by hitting the Daily Newsletter button on Cowboy State Daily Dot Com - and you can watch this newscast every day by clicking Subscribe on our YouTube channel, or listen to us on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for watching - I’m Mac Watson, for Cowboy State Daily.
