Dear editor:
Wyoming has always been an energy state.
We know what it means to develop resources, build infrastructure, respect private property rights and protect the communities that make this state home.
As new energy projects are proposed across Wyoming, it is important to know that we have one of the strongest foundations in the country for review, public engagement, and accountability.
Wyoming energy projects move through multiple layers of local and state review before construction can begin.
That review includes county planning and zoning boards, boards of county commissioners, affected local governments, landowners, state agencies, and the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council.
For larger projects, Wyoming’s Industrial Siting process adds significant scrutiny. Under the Industrial Siting Act, 19 state agencies review the application and provide comments, recommendations, and potential permit conditions.
Applications can be thousands of pages long because developers must provide detailed information about construction, workforce needs, traffic, emergency services, environmental impacts, socio-economic impacts, reclamation, decommissioning, and financial capacity.
These are not simple check-the-box applications. They require years of planning, technical review, and public accountability.
Public engagement is built into the process.
Affected local governments and landowners receive notice. Informational meetings give the public a chance to learn about proposed projects.
Community members can submit written comments, attend public hearings, and make in-person statements. Public input is not an afterthought. It is part of how Wyoming evaluates major projects.
That kind of layered review is a strength. It means Wyoming is not choosing between energy development and public participation. We are leading by insisting on both.
Wyoming’s process recognizes that responsible development is not just about whether a project can be built. It is about how it is built, where it is built, how impacts are addressed, and ensuring that communities are heard along the way.
Keeping Wyoming open for business is essential to our future.
Our schools, counties, roads, small businesses and working families all depend on a strong economy.
The next generation of our youth is looking to stay in the Cowboy State, but we need the jobs to retain them.
New energy investment does that by supporting jobs, tax revenue, and long-term opportunities.
Wyoming does not have to choose between responsible energy development and meaningful public engagement. We have both, and in many ways, we have already shown the country how it can be done.
Sincerely,
Powering Up Wyoming Advisory Board
Mark Eisele
JoAnn True
Rick Grant
Jonathan Naughton
Brad Enzi
