Latest from Pat Maio
Atlas Carbon Continues To Struggle With Repayment Of $15 Million State Loan
Six months after the state of Wyoming threw a lifeline to Gillette-based Atlas Carbon on a $15 million loan, it continues to struggle with repayment. The state says making interest-only payments is keeping the company in “good standing.”
Pat MaioSeptember 13, 2024
Kemmerer Coal Mine Sold To Southern California Real Estate Company
The Kemmerer, Wyoming, coal mining operation has been quietly sold to a Southern California real estate investment company. No word yet on what the new owner, ECC Capital Corp., wants to do with it.
Pat MaioSeptember 13, 2024
No More Coal Road: Project To Move Highway To Access Kemmerer Coal Stopped
Work has stopped on a $30 million project to move 3 miles U.S. Highway 30 near Kemmerer to access more than 9 million tons of coal. The coal mine's owner blames declining demand.
Pat MaioSeptember 12, 2024
Wyoming Energy Officials Don't Buy Kamala's Claim She's Okay With Fracking
During Tuesday's presidential debate, Kamala Harris doubled down on her new promise not to ban fracking, but energy industry officials in Wyoming and the region don’t buy it.
Pat MaioSeptember 11, 2024
Botched Memorial Day Ceremony At Cheyenne National Cemetery Was “Miscommunication”
When family members showed up at the Cheyenne National Cemetery on Memorial Day for a service to honor fallen heroes and loved ones, the VA never showed up to host the service. On Wednesday, VA officials told Cowboy State Daily it was a "miscommunication" and would never happen again.
Pat MaioSeptember 11, 2024
Ranking Says Wyomingites Have Least Credit Card Debt In United States
According to a national economic study, Wyoming citizens carry less credit card debt than anywhere else in the U.S. Economic analysts believe the state’s low tax rate and overall conservative mindset to not rely on debt are part of the reasons why.
Pat MaioSeptember 10, 2024
Huge $5 Billion Proposed Trona Mine Set For Review By Wyoming Regulators
Construction on a huge $5 billion trona mining project near Green River, Wyoming, is scheduled to begin in mid-2025. It will employ 2,100 construction workers annually before becoming operational in early 2029.
Pat MaioSeptember 10, 2024
Tri-State Gets $679 Million From Feds For Transition From Coal-Fired Plants
Tri-State Generation has received $679 million from a federal program to boost renewables to support the retirement of coal-fired power plants. Laramie River Station in Wyoming, however, is not set for closure.
Pat MaioSeptember 09, 2024
Former Top Colorado Regulator Predicts A Shakeup For Wyoming Power Co-ops
Raymond Gifford, a former chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, says a shakeup is coming for Wyoming’s power cooperatives. He's also the lawyer helping electricity co-ops leave Tri-State Generation.
Pat MaioSeptember 07, 2024
Wyoming Rare Earth Miner Expands Global Reach, Buys Australian Company
Energy Fuels Inc., which is preparing to ramp up its Nichols Ranch uranium mine near Kaycee, Wyoming, is expanding. It’s close to buying a critical rare earth minerals company in Australia.
Pat MaioSeptember 06, 2024
After Hedge Fund Buys 10% Of Peabody, It Wants Company To Buy Back $1.4B In Stock
At the urging of a hedge fund in Texas that bought nearly 10% of Peabody Energy, the company is accelerating efforts to develop “existing assets.” That includes urging the company to spend $1.46 billion on buying back shares of its stock.
Pat MaioSeptember 05, 2024
Growing Energy Supplier Eyes Larger Toehold In Wyoming's Shifting Power Market
Guzman Energy, a Denver-based wholesale power provider with funding from a Walmart heir, eyes gaining a larger toehold in Wyoming and the Western U.S. Guzman also refutes claims by some critics who worry the company can’t deliver on promises.
Pat MaioSeptember 05, 2024
California Grid Operator’s Expansion Into Wyoming Includes Black Hills Energy
The California power operator that manages the flow of electricity across 26,000 miles of high-voltage power lines has added Black Hills Corp. in Wyoming to its system.
Pat MaioSeptember 04, 2024
Wyoming High Court Reverses PSC On Rules For Buying Excess Power From Customers
The Wyoming Supreme Court has reversed a Wyoming Public Service Commission decision about how customers sell their excess green power back to the grid.
Pat MaioSeptember 03, 2024
Giant Wyoming Carbon Capture Project Pulls Plug For Lack Of Clean Power
CarbonCapture had planned to build one of the world’s largest direct air CO2 capture projects in southwest Wyoming. Now it’s pulling the plug because there’s not enough clean power to run it.
Pat MaioSeptember 03, 2024
Wyoming's Electricity Industry On The Cusp Of Transmission Shakeup
The Wyoming Public Service Commission has begun studying how electricity is delivered over hundreds of miles of transmission lines. The outcome could lead to a major shakeup for Wyoming.
Pat MaioAugust 30, 2024
Kamala Harris Interview With CNN Exposes Flip-Flop On Fracking
Kamala Harris did a 180-degree flip on fracking in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on Thursday. Political watchdogs told Cowboy State Daily her new position on fracking is politics, not policy.
Pat MaioAugust 30, 2024
Electricity Co-ops In Wyoming Poised For Savings Through New Grid Operator
A newly forming regional transmission organization in Arkansas is looking to attract members throughout Colorado and Wyoming. That could save members $200 million annually by delivering power more cheaply.
Pat MaioAugust 29, 2024
16 Months After 30 Tons Of Chemical Used In Explosives Vanished, Investigation Continues
The Federal Railroad Administration said Wednesday that it’s still investigating the disappearance of 30 tons of a chemical used in explosives. It was lost from a defective railcar somewhere between Cheyenne and the Mojave Desert in California.
Pat MaioAugust 29, 2024
Hedge Fund Hot To Invest In Wyoming’s Huge Red Desert Uranium Deposits
Canada-based Premier American Uranium announced this week it may have found 8 to 12 million pounds of uranium in Wyoming’s Red Desert. The state’s huge deposits and industry boom are attracting large hedge funds to buy up Wyoming uranium.
Pat MaioAugust 28, 2024
Feds Send $5.5 Million To Wyoming's Richest City To Build EV Charging Stations
The city of Jackson, Wyoming, which is among one of the wealthiest in America, has received $5.5 million from the federal government to expand its network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Pat MaioAugust 27, 2024
Energy Fuels Wants To Use Wyoming Uranium For Cancer Treatments
Energy Fuels, on track to become a key Wyoming uranium producer, is extending its reach for the mineral. The company has expanded into using Wyoming uranium to produce medical isotopes for cancer treatments.
Pat MaioAugust 27, 2024
United Power Growing After Severing Ties With Tri-State Generation
Colorado’s United Power Inc. was the largest Tri-State Generation member until it paid $702 million to break away on its own. Now it’s growing as other Tri-State members watch.
Pat MaioAugust 26, 2024
Owners Of Montana’s Tongue River Marina 'Defeated' By Wildfire Damage
Wildfires in northern Wyoming and southern Montana have burned more than 400,000 acres. They’ve also left ranchers and small businesses like Tongue River Marina wrecked financially and worried about the future.
Pat MaioAugust 25, 2024
Wyoming Sheep Ranchers Scramble To Save Flocks From 175,000-Acre House Draw Fire
Wyoming’s rural sheep industry was nearly destroyed when the House Draw Fire exploded to 175,000 acres, killing some sheep. Ranchers scrambled to save what they could. Now they have to find winter feed for those that survived.
Pat MaioAugust 24, 2024
Wyoming Ranchers Watch As 175,000-Acre Wildfire Burns Through Fences And Hay
About 150 firefighters started in Buffalo, Wyoming, early Friday morning to battle the House Draw Fire, which has burned about 175,000 acres.
Pat MaioAugust 23, 2024
Arch May Speed Up Sale Of Legacy Wyoming Coal Mines Under $5B Merger
Arch Resources announced a $5 billion merger with Consol Energy on Wednesday. That also may mean speeding up the company’s plans to sell its Wyoming coal mines.
Pat MaioAugust 22, 2024
Huge Shakeup For Wyoming Coal: Arch To Merge, Peabody Sells 10% To Hedge Fund
In a huge shakeup for Wyoming's legacy coal industry, Arch announced a $5 billion merger Wednesday and a hedge fund has bought 10% of Peabody Energy. The companies represent more than half the coal production in the Powder River Basin.
Pat MaioAugust 21, 2024
Why Old Wind Turbine Blades Aren’t Being Buried In Landfills Anymore
Until a few years ago, it was common for old wind turbine blades to be discarded in local landfills. That’s not happening much anymore as landfills require them to be ground up “into really tiny pieces,” which is expensive.
Pat MaioAugust 21, 2024
Kemmerer Bus Driver Beats House Speaker Albert Sommers In Stunning Senate Race Upset
In a stunning defeat, Wyoming House Speaker Albert Sommers lost to Kemmerer resident Laura Taliaferro Pearson, in Senate District 14 which covers Sublette, Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta counties.
Pat MaioAugust 21, 2024
Mike Schmid Beats Cat Urbigkit In Highly-Watched Sublette County House Race
Mike Schmid, a La Barge oilman aligned with the Freedom Caucus, won the Republican primary against well-known rancher Cat Urbigkit in House District 20 of Sublette County.
Pat MaioAugust 21, 2024
Darin McCann Stuns Clark Stith in Upset Primary Race in Sweetwater County
Freedom Caucus contender Darin McCann, R-Rock Springs, beat State House Rep. Clark Stith in a stunning upset in the contentious Republican primary race in Sweetwater County.
Pat MaioAugust 21, 2024
Another Hedge Fund-Backed Producer Wants To Cash In On Wyoming’s Uranium Boom
Canada-based American Premium Uranium Inc., backed by a New Jersey-based hedge fund, has begun exploratory drilling on mining claims in the Red Desert. It’s part of a rush of companies looking to cash in on Wyoming’s uranium boom.
Pat MaioAugust 19, 2024
Tri-State’s Wyoming Co-ops United By Jitters Over Future Of Coal Plant
Tri-State Generation’s pivot away from fossil fuel-generated power has some of its members uneasy. In Wyoming, there’s concern over the future of the Laramie Station power plant.
Pat MaioAugust 17, 2024
Wyoming Turns Down $35 Million From Feds To Clean Up Orphan Wells
Wyoming doesn’t want the federal government’s $35 million to help plug orphan oil and gas wells. The Biden administration’s Interior Department offered $775 million to 21 energy states this week, but the Cowboy State won’t take it.
Pat MaioAugust 15, 2024
U.S. Wind, Solar Produce More Power Than Coal Through July For First Time
For the first seven months of 2024, wind and solar alone produced more electricity than coal in the United States. That's a first, and comes as no surprise in Wyoming, which saw its coal production drop 25% in the first half of the year.
Pat MaioAugust 15, 2024
Dormant For A Decade, Texas-Based Uranium Energy Corp. To Restart In Wyoming
Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp. had mothballed its uranium mining operations in Wyoming nearly a decade ago. It’s now the second major uranium producer in the state to restart mining and processing.
Pat MaioAugust 13, 2024
Wyoming To Lead 17-State Lawsuit Against EPA Over Coal Ash Rules
Wyoming is taking the lead in a 17-state lawsuit against the EPA over is rules on coal ash produced by power plants. The rules will go into effect in November unless stopped.
Pat MaioAugust 12, 2024
Wyoming Rare Earths Companies In Race To Start Producing
The Australian-based American Rare Earths Ltd. has restructured its Wyoming project to attract investment. With Wyoming becoming ground zero for U.S. rare earths, companies are in a race to be the first to start producing.
Pat MaioAugust 12, 2024
Hot Demand For Wyoming Uranium Has Hedge Funds, Other Investors Sniffing Around
Demand for Wyoming uranium has some big hedge funds and other investors sniffing around to buy in. They’re looking for opportunities to buy shares in uranium stocks that mine the ore needed as fuel for nuclear power plants.
Pat MaioAugust 09, 2024
Rural Wyoming Co-ops To Get More Green Power From Colorado-Based Parent Company
Power cooperatives in a number of rural Wyoming communities will be getting more green energy. That’s the result of a major shift in policy and focus for their parent company, Colorado-based Tri-State Generation.
Pat MaioAugust 08, 2024
Harris VP Pick "Horrible For America, Horrible For Wyoming," Wyo Mining Chief Says
As governor, Tim Walz placed his state on track to transition to "clean" energy even faster than California. Wyoming Mining Association President Travis Deti says Kamala Harris' VP pick is "horrible for America and horrible for Wyoming."
Pat MaioAugust 07, 2024
EV Registrations, Sales In Wyoming Grow Despite Big Auto Pullbacks
Electric vehicle sales and registrations are slowly growing in Wyoming, despite automakers pulling back on production. Cheyenne-based Domino’s pizza franchises have been purchasing Chevy Bolts for its delivery fleet and plan to buy more.
Pat MaioAugust 07, 2024
Ramaco Hires Heavy Hitter To Push Production Plant For Wyoming Rare Earths
Ramaco Resources is closer to being able to start mining rare earth minerals in Wyoming. The company announced Tuesday that it’s hired a global engineering firm to push efforts to build a processing plant outside of Sheridan.
Pat MaioAugust 06, 2024
Firefighters Gain Upper Hand In Wyoming Wildfires That Have Burned 53,200 Acres
Emergency firefighters report making “good progress” on containing wildfires across Wyoming that have burned 53,200 acres. That includes getting about 90% containment of the Pleasant Valley Fire north of Guernsey.
Pat MaioAugust 06, 2024
Recovery Begins At Hartville, The Historic Mining Town That Nearly Went Up In Flames
The historic mining town of Hartville, Wyoming, came within inches of going up in flames this past week. Folks are shell-shocked as they recover from a wildfire that turned much of the land around them into an apocalyptic nightmare.
Pat MaioAugust 06, 2024
New Fires Add To Wyoming’s Wildland Inferno, More Than 55,000 Acres Burned
A pair of wildfires in Campbell County blew up over the weekend to nearly 25,000 acres. That’s added to the nearly 30,000 acres burned north of Guernsey and about 1,800 acres in the rugged Shoshone National Forest in northwest Wyoming.
Pat MaioAugust 05, 2024
Evacuation Lifted For Pleasant Valley Fire, But Ranchers Worried For Cattle
More than 200 people showed up at the Guernsey-Sunrise High School late Saturday afternoon to discuss the latest on the Pleasant Valley Fire. During the briefing, Goshen and Platte County emergency officials lifted evacuation orders for the communities north of Guernsey.
Pat MaioAugust 04, 2024
Jack Reacher Author Lee Child Loves His Wyoming Home, But Hates Wind Farm Project
Lee Child, author of the hugely popular Jack Reacher novels, picked up his belongings and escaped the hectic lifestyle of New York City and moved to Tie Siding, Wyoming eight years ago. He loves Wyoming but hates the Rail Tie wind farm project.
Pat MaioAugust 03, 2024
Pleasant Valley Fire Saturday Update: 30% Contained, Plans In The Works To Lift Evacuation Orders
Update Saturday morning: Evacuation orders for a 30%-contained wildfire that threatened Hartville and surrounding communities Friday evening may be lifted later Saturday, the Wyoming State Forestry Division said.
Pat MaioAugust 03, 2024
Wildfire Burns Harriet Hageman’s Family Homestead, More Evacuations Ordered
A 25,000-acre wildfire raging through the Haystack Hills of eastern Wyoming burned Harriet Hageman’s family homestead. She fought back tears talking about the “devastating” fire. Meanwhile, more evacuations were ordered late Friday.
Pat MaioAugust 03, 2024
Rocky Mountain Power Wants 14.7% Rate Hike For Wind and Transmission Costs
Rocky Mountain Power announced Friday it’s filed a request for a 14.7% increase in power bills in Wyoming. The rate hike would raise $123.5 million for new high-voltage transmission lines, a wind farm and power plants.
Pat MaioAugust 03, 2024
1.5 Million-Pound Trailers Haul Transformers To Huge New Wyoming Wind Substation
PacifiCorp is using giant, specialized 1.5 million-pound trailers to haul transformers to a new substation near Medicine Bow. The new station will serve Wyoming wind farms generating more than 2,000 megawatts of power.
Pat MaioAugust 02, 2024
Sales Drop 16% For Peabody Energy, Largest Coal Producer In Wyoming And The U.S.
Peabody Energy Corp., the largest coal producer in Wyoming and United States, reported Thursday that it’s second quarter sales are down more than 16%. The company also lowered its expectations for the rest of the year.
Pat MaioAugust 01, 2024
Eastern Wyoming Wildfire Nearly Burned Through Historic Fort Laramie
A 23,000-acre wildfire that prompted evacuations and road closures in eastern Wyoming also threatened the historic Fort Laramie complex. Located about 8 miles northeast of Guernsey in the Haystack Range, the Pleasant Valley Fire has not been contained.
Pat MaioAugust 01, 2024
Wyoming Firefighters Battle Flames, Heat And Rattlesnakes Near Guernsey
The Pleasant Valley Fire has consumed more than 28,000 acres in Goshen and Platte counties in eastern Wyoming. Firefighters are furiously battling flames, heat and rattlesnakes, but the fire remains 0% contained.
Pat MaioAugust 01, 2024
‘It Was Armageddon’: Eastern Wyoming Community Evacuated By Wildfire
Hartville and a neighboring subdivision in eastern Wyoming were evacuated overnight Tuesday when a fast-moving wildfire ballooned to more than 25,000 acres. “It was Armageddon,” is how a local woman described watching the flames advance.
Pat MaioJuly 31, 2024
Landfill May Be Next Stop After Lightning Blows Up Turbine Blade Near Cheyenne
A half-shredded blade hanging from a wind turbine west of Cheyenne is catching attention from the thousands of drivers who go past it along Interstate 80. It was nearly torn in half by a bolt of lightning, and its next stop could be a Wyoming landfill.
Pat MaioJuly 30, 2024
Kamala Harris Does 180 On Fracking, Says She Won’t Ban It: Trump Not Buying It
Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, told a national publication that she will not seek to ban fracking if she’s elected. That's a 180 degree flip from what she said earlier.
Pat MaioJuly 29, 2024
Wyoming Budget Could Take Big Hit With Coal Production Down 25%
Wyoming revenue collection is ahead of forecasts, but a freefalling state coal industry could change that quickly. A new state budget report warns the impact of a 25% drop in coal production for the first half of 2024.
Pat MaioJuly 29, 2024
Wyoming-Based Ur-Energy Offers $60M Stock Sale To Grow Uranium Holdings
Casper-based Ur-Energy said Friday that it’s raising $60 million in a public offering of stock to expand its uranium mining footprint, including in Wyoming. “We are preparing our war chest so that we are ready for any opportunities," the CEO told Cowboy State Daily.
Pat MaioJuly 28, 2024
Fight Over $500 Million Rail Tie Wind Farm In Southern Wyoming Far From Over
Deep-pocketed donors who live in the 4,300-acre preserve near Tie Siding, Wyoming, aren’t giving up their fight over the wind farm. They’ve kicked in money for a legal challenge of the controversial $500 million wind farm project.
Pat MaioJuly 27, 2024
Bill Gates-Backed Wyoming Wind Energy Startup Raising Nearly $13 Million
Airloom Energy Inc., a Laramie-based wind energy startup with ties to Bill Gates, is raising nearly $13 million to promote its novel design of wind energy loops that operate horizontally and low to the ground instead of the giant turbines that dot Wyoming's landscape.
Pat MaioJuly 26, 2024
Coal Giant Arch Resources To Keep Shrinking Wyoming ‘Operational Footprint’
Arch Resources, the second largest coal producer in Wyoming, reported Thursday that it plans to keep shrinking its “operational footprint” in Wyoming’s energy-rich Powder River Basin. Its end-goal is the "eventual closure" of its Wyoming mines.
Pat MaioJuly 25, 2024
Wyoming Oil And Gas Drilling Halted On 120,000 Acres By Federal Judge
A federal judge has told the Bureau of Land Management to halt issuing oil and gas drilling permits on 120,000 acres of public land in Wyoming. The ruling is to allow for a review of environmental impacts.
Pat MaioJuly 25, 2024
Coal Production in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin Falls 30%
The collapse in coal production continues out of the state’s energy-rich Powder River Basin in northeastern Wyoming. Second quarter data released Wednesday shows coal production has slipped nearly 30% from the second quarter of 2023
Pat MaioJuly 24, 2024
Wyomingites Frustrated By Biden On Energy Will Hate Harris, Industry Execs Say
Wyomingites frustrated by President Joe Biden’s energy policy will hate Kamala Harris, industry executives say. With Biden bowing out of the presidential election, Harris is now the frontrunner to be the Democratic nominee.
Pat MaioJuly 23, 2024
Clean Energy Startup Has $28 Million To Create Biogas From Wyoming Sugar Beets
A clean energy startup has $28 million to build a facility in the Powder River Basin to turn Wyoming sugar beets into biogas. That includes $13 million announced Monday from a former Texas oilman.
Pat MaioJuly 23, 2024
Wyoming Uber, Lyft Drivers Blocked From Picking Up Passengers In Colorado
Cheyenne Frontier Days is the most lucrative time of the year for Uber and Lyft drivers. But Colorado blocks Wyoming drivers from picking up passengers at DIA or anywhere else in the state due to differences in emissions standards.
Pat MaioJuly 22, 2024
Wyoming To Study Overhaul Of How Electricity Producers Are Taxed
Wyoming’s Budget Planning Office is hiring a legal consultant to advise a powerful group of legislators on overhauling the state’s electricity taxes. The study could lead to major changes in how taxes are collected from electricity producers.
Pat MaioJuly 19, 2024
Skeptics Disagree With Study That Finds Wyoming Tops In The Nation In Energy Costs
Wyomingites pay more on their energy bills than anyone else in the U.S. and almost twice as much as the second-highest state, according to a new study. But economist and state Sen. Cale Case says the study is critically flawed.
Pat MaioJuly 19, 2024
Virginia Firm Partners With Wyoming To Study Nuclear Fuel Factory Spots
Nuclear technology innovator BWX Technologies on Thursday agreed to work with the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA) to evaluate requirements on where to build a potential nuclear fuel factory in the state.
Pat MaioJuly 18, 2024
Wyoming Hires Second Powerful Law Firm To Fight Washington's Coal Policies
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has hired another major law firm to fight anti-coal policies from the Environmental Protection Agency. The firm employs former President Trump's former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.
Pat MaioJuly 18, 2024
Casper's Ur-Energy Sees Boost In Uranium Production
According to regulatory filings on Wednesday, Casper-based Ur-Energy is one of the first major uranium mining players in Wyoming to see evidence of stronger demand by electric utilities of its ore, which is needed to power nuclear power plants.
Pat MaioJuly 18, 2024
Ramaco Resources Preparing To Build Plant To Transform Coal
Ramaco Resources is close to starting work on a pilot demonstration plant that will convert coal mined from a Ranchester mine into strategic rare earth minerals. They estimate they'll be pulling up to 2 million tons of coal annually out of the old Brook mine by 2026.
Pat MaioJuly 17, 2024
Mining Company Sees 'Paws-Abilities' In Growing Cat Litter Business
Wyoming's sodium bentonite companies produce over 70% of the world’s supply, with privately held Wyo-Ben going up against larger rivals like Mineral Technologies and Haliburton’s Bentonite Performance.
Pat MaioJuly 16, 2024
Australian Firm Test Drilling On $456 Million Rare Earths Project Near Wheatland
American Rare Earths' mining project near Wheatland, which could have one of the richest rare earths deposits in the world, on Monday said it had begun test drilling.
Pat MaioJuly 15, 2024
Wyoming Did Propose Drilling A Tunnel Through Teton Pass But It Never Went Anywhere
The former head of the Wyoming Dept of Transportation did submit a request to the federal government to drill a hole through Teton Pass instead of maintaining a road over it. But it never went anywhere.
Pat MaioJuly 12, 2024
Key Legislator Worries Activists Could Hurt Wyoming Economy In Oil And Gas Auctions
State Rep. Cyrus Western, the outgoing House majority whip, is concerned that a Lander-based conservation advocacy organization is waging a war on Wyoming’s middle class through the state’s oil and gas lease auction bidding process.
Pat MaioJuly 11, 2024
No End In Sight For Wyoming’s New Uranium Rush
A rush for producing Wyoming uranium continues with no end in sight. The latest in the mix is an exploration company from Canada that hopes to muscle its way into the state’s Shirley Basin to possibly attract takeover interest.
Pat MaioJuly 11, 2024
Controversial $500M Wind Farm Gets Go-Ahead After Heated Closed-Door Meeting
The controversial $500 million Rail Tie wind farm in Albany County got the go-ahead from Wyoming regulators Wednesday. Things reportedly got heated at times as the developer and activists met behind closed doors for hours.
Pat MaioJuly 10, 2024
BLM May Limit Plan For 600,000 Acres Of CO2 Storage For Wyoming Ammonia Plant
A Wyoming BLM assessment could severely limit a massive 600,000-acre carbon dioxide storage plan. The CO2 storage would be needed to build an industrial-scale coal-to-ammonia plant in southwest Wyoming.
Pat MaioJuly 10, 2024
Spanish Company To Develop Huge Wind Farm North Of Cheyenne
Spanish energy giant Repsol has plans to build a huge 500- to 600-megawatt wind farm northwest of Cheyenne, Cowboy State Daily confirmed Tuesday. It’s the same company that bought the controversial Rail Tie wind project outside of Laramie in the spring.
Pat MaioJuly 09, 2024
In Major Policy Shift, Wyoming Redefines Who Can Bid On State Oil And Gas Leases
Wyoming has changed its rules to discourage environmental groups from attempting to lock up state oil and gas leases. That means the Wyoming Outdoor Council can’t bid in this week's state-run oil and gas lease auction.
Pat MaioJuly 08, 2024
Wyoming Uranium Producer Ramps Up To Meet $100M-Plus Sale To European Buyer
Strata Energy is accelerating its uranium production from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin with plans to ramp up to 2 million pounds annually. The company is expected to double its workforce to sell $88 million to $117 million worth of uranium to a European buyer.
Pat MaioJuly 08, 2024
Oil And Gas Producers Say Outdoors Council Bids Up State Lease Sale To Inflate Costs
Casper-based Kirkwood Cos. Is crying foul after it says the Wyoming Outdoor Council duped the company into paying much more for an oil and gas lease by bidding it up during a state-run sale.
Pat MaioJuly 05, 2024
Road Deal Clears Way To Build Giant 1.2 Million Panel Cheyenne Solar Farm
Enbridge will pick up $12 million of the $14.5 million needed to upgrade a road south of Cheyenne to access its giant 1.2 million panel solar farm south of Cheyenne. The deal clears the way to start construction on the $1.2 billion project.
Pat MaioJuly 05, 2024
Gordon Issues Order To Keep Environmental Activists From Impacting Wyoming Lease Sale
In preparation for next week’s oil and gas lease auction, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed an emergency order to help keep environmental activist groups from driving up bids and taking energy-rich leases from developers.
Pat MaioJuly 04, 2024
Kansas Company Planning Gigantic 600,000-Acre Carbon Capture Project In SW Wyoming
A Kansas-based company is moving forward to build a 600,000-acre carbon capture project in underground caverns in Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta counties in southwest Wyoming.
Pat MaioJuly 04, 2024
Construction Delays, Inflation Push Back Opening Of $53 Million Upton Rare Earths Plant
Rare Element Resources Ltd. has delayed the July opening of its rare earths plant in Upton, Wyoming. Construction delays and 21% inflation will push the opening back at least two months.
Pat MaioJuly 02, 2024
Energy Giant Files Permit To Build $233 Million Wind Farm Near Glenrock
Virginia-based AES Corp. says it’s going to build a $233.4 million wind farm near Glenrock, Wyoming. They claim it will bring 200 jobs and produce enough electricity to power 44,000 homes.
Pat MaioJuly 02, 2024
Dyno Nobel Keeps Railcars Of Explosive Ammonium Nitrate In Abandoned Calif. Town
Dyno Nobel in Cheyenne made headlines last year when it lost 30 tons of explosive ammonium nitrate. Cowboy State Daily and two industry experts Monday observed railcars of the stuff the company holds in the abandoned town of Saltdale, California.
Pat MaioJuly 02, 2024
Social Media Giant Meta (Facebook) To Formally Announce Massive Wyoming Data Center
Social media giant Meta, formerly Facebook, will make a formal public announcement next week of its plans to build a massive data center in south Cheyenne. The center is expected to guzzle power from a huge new $1.2 billion solar farm.
Pat MaioJune 29, 2024
Wyoming Oil And Gas Producers Fear Tiny Lease Sales ‘The New Normal’
Thursday’s tiny federal oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming was a throwback to pre-2000 levels, and given the political climate for fossil fuels, state producers fear this may be “the new normal.”
Pat MaioJune 28, 2024
Huge 326,000 Panel Wyoming Solar Farm May Be Delayed Over Road Worries
A huge 326,000 solar panel project in Goshen County may encounter delays in construction because of a recent change in road and bridge permitting requirements and concerns about tearing up local roads.
Pat MaioJune 28, 2024
Wyoming Seeks To Beat China To Become Top Rare Earths Producer
The state of Wyoming is financing rare earths mining projects that could eventually become the largest in the United States. The goal is to loosen China’s grip on the market.
Pat MaioJune 27, 2024
Huge Insurance Bills Don't Stop Solar Projects In Wyoming's Hail Alley
Catastrophic hailstorms haven’t been kind to solar developers, and insurance companies have noticed. Premiums to insure the large solar projects planned for Wyoming's Hail Alley continue to rise.
Pat MaioJune 26, 2024
Gordon Vows To Fight Coal Mandates As Wyoming Hires Pedigree Law Firm
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon vowed during a Gillette town hall Tuesday to wage a legal fight with the federal government to rollback on federal mandates on coal and other Wyoming energy industries, and the state has hired a pedigree law firm to do it.
Pat MaioJune 26, 2024
Legal Mess Ties Up $500 Million Wyoming Wind Farm Project
An influential seven-member industrial siting group in Wyoming plans an early July meeting to sort out a legal mess that could determine the future of the $500 million Rail Tie wind farm development in Albany County.
Pat MaioJune 24, 2024
Military Could Invest In Mining Critical Minerals In Wyoming
The U.S. military has a huge interest in rare earth materials, something Wyoming has an abundance of. For instance, the U.S. Air Force’s F-35 stealth fighter takes 850 pounds of rare earths to build.
Pat MaioJune 23, 2024
Overhaul Of I-25/I-80 Interchange In Cheyenne Will Cost $500 Million
The cloverleaf interchange where Interstates 80 and 25 intersect in Cheyenne will get a $500 million overhaul with huge flyover bridges to keep thousands of semitrucks moving freight across the West. It could take up to a decade to complete.
Pat MaioJune 21, 2024
Coal Downturn Hammers Cheyenne Explosive Maker, Dyno Nobel Sales Fall 19%
Explosive chemical sales are down significantly at the Cheyenne-based Dyno Nobel plant because of declines in coal production in northeastern Wyoming. They report sales to coal markets fell 19% mainly due to power units switching to natural gas from coal.
Pat MaioJune 20, 2024
Wyoming, Utah First To Sue BLM For Putting Conservation Over Mining
Wyoming and Utah have become the first states to sue the BLM over an obscure rule that weighs conservation over mining interests in how 245 million acres of public lands are managed.
Pat MaioJune 19, 2024
Wyoming's Uranium Mining Boom Draws Another Foreign-Owned Exploration Firm
Global Uranium Corp., an exploration company with mining operations in Canada, has become the latest foreign-owned company to expand to Wyoming to take advantage of a uranium mining boom.
Pat MaioJune 19, 2024
In 954-Page Letter, Wyoming’s Powder River Basin Blasts BLM’s War On Coal
The top elected county officials of nearly 70,000 people who live in Wyoming’s coal heartland of the Powder River Basin blasted the BLM on Tuesday for its rules to end coal in a massive 954-page letter submitted to the agency.
Pat MaioJune 18, 2024
Hageman Says She’ll Invite Trump Back To Wyoming To Visit Coal Country
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman was back in Wyoming on Tuesday visiting the coal-rich Powder River Basin. Hageman said she will be inviting former President Trump back to Wyoming as he, unlike the current president, is a friend of coal.
Pat MaioJune 18, 2024
Millions More Given To Build Tiny Nuclear Reactors In Wyoming
The Wyoming Energy Authority has approved second phase of a $10 million effort by BWXT Technologies to determine the viability of building tiny nuclear power plants in the state.
Pat MaioJune 18, 2024
Already A World Leader in Helium Production, ExxonMobil In Wyoming Plans To Expand
One of the largest producers of helium in the world comes from the ExxonMobil plant in LaBarge. Now the facility, which provides 20% of the world’s supply, is set to expand and could double its workforce in the next year.
Pat MaioJune 17, 2024
Commuters Between Idaho And Jackson Are Giving Up The Drive And Taking The Bus
With their commute time now quadrupled because of the closure of Teton Pass, more and more workers who live in Idaho and work in Jackson are taking the bus rather than making the drive. “I feel more productive on the bus," one worker said.
Pat MaioJune 13, 2024
There’s A Secret Road From Idaho To Jackson, But You’ll Probably Need A Jeep
There’s a secret route that people living in Idaho’s Potato Belt all know about to travel over to the wealthy enclave of Jackson to do their blue-collar work. It’s called Reclamation Road, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
Pat MaioJune 13, 2024
Inside The Bill Gates Poker Game In Kemmerer
Kemmerer citizens who played Texas hold 'em with Bill Gates on Monday at the Wyoming Fossils store said the billionaire is shrewd card player who called the "bullsh*t" on one of the player's bluffs.
Pat MaioJune 11, 2024
Billionaire Bill Gates Lands In Kemmerer For Nuclear Plant, Then Plays Poker
Billionaire Bill Gates flew into Kemmerer on Monday for the groundbreaking ceremony of the $4 billion Natrium nuclear reactor project. After the ceremony Gates played Texas hold 'em with some locals.
Pat MaioJune 10, 2024
Hageman: Boulder Should Remove Gas Stations & Pavement Because Fossil Fuels Are Evil
Attending the Wyoming Mining Association convention, Rep. Harriet Hageman said if fossil fuels are so evil then liberal "la-la land" cities like Boulder should just give them up proactively. Gas stations and pavement should be removed, she suggested.
Pat MaioJune 07, 2024
‘We Need To Fight Back:’ Wyoming Takes First Step In New Action Against EPA Over Coal Rule
The State of Wyoming unveiled the beginnings of a plan Friday to pursue a new legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency, which wants to kill off coal- and natural-gas fired power plants.
Pat MaioJune 07, 2024
Wyoming Miners Say U.S. Not Getting Truth About Coal, So They’ll Have To Do It
One of the underlying themes of this week’s Wyoming Mining Association convention in Cody is that the American public is being fed misinformation about coal,so it's up to them to do something about it.
Pat MaioJune 07, 2024
Coal Companies Say Claim They’re Not There For Wyoming Miners A Cheap Shot
Coal industry leaders meeting in Cody for the Wyoming Mining Association's annual convention Thursday say cheap shots from Campbell County commissioners who don't feel they're engaged with folks in the Powder River Basin are unfair.
Pat MaioJune 06, 2024
Wyoming Uranium Mining Outfit Expands To Australia For Rare Earths In $140M Deal
Energy Fuels, which is preparing to ramp up its Nichols Ranch uranium mine near Kaycee for production by 2025, has agreed to a $140 million deal to jointly develop a rare earths mining project in Australia.
Pat MaioJune 05, 2024
Biden’s BLM Rule To End Coal Casts Ominous Cloud Over Wyoming’s Coal Country
Coal miners from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin are worried and determined to fight a Biden administration rule to end coal mining there by 2041. They spent part of Tuesday responding, while also bracing to cut spending as coal revenues dwindle.
Pat MaioJune 05, 2024
$1.2 Billion South Cheyenne Solar Project Delayed By Road Upgrade
Enbridge Inc.’s proposed $1.2 billion solar farm development in South Cheyenne has run into a dispute with Laramie County officials over who is pay for a county-owned road needed for huge Microsoft and Meta data centers.
Pat MaioJune 04, 2024
Wyoming Coal Bust Means Budget Cuts Coming For State, Campbell County
Campbell County, located in the heart of the coal-rich Powder River Basin, plans to trim spending by more than $25 million in anticipation of a prolonged coal bust. The State of Wyoming could be short at least $50 million.
Pat MaioJune 03, 2024
Wyoming Solar Farms Want Cows, Pigs And Sheep Roaming Under Panels
Solar farm developers in Wyoming are banking on a menagerie of barnyard animals to graze under hundreds of thousands of panels planned for construction from one end of the state to the other.
Pat MaioJune 01, 2024
How Wyoming Missed The Boat On An Interstate Coal Pipeline Nearly 50 Years Ago
Until the last decade or so, Wyoming’s coal industry did nothing but boom. But the yearslong bust that’s followed has people playing the “what if” game, like what if the state had built a proposed coal pipeline nearly 50 years ago?
Pat MaioMay 31, 2024
Wyoming Files Third Lawsuit Over EPA's Rules Designed To Kill Off Coal Industry
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announced Thursday that the state has filed a third lawsuit challenging new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency which will destroy the coal industry.
Pat MaioMay 30, 2024
Lummis Demands Answers On Why VA Didn't Show Up To Memorial Day Service
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis on Thursday said the Veterans Administration needs to explain why they didn't show up to a Memorial Day service in Cheyenne. “On behalf of the nearly 50,000 veterans in my state, I find Monday’s mishap to be completely unacceptable," she said.
Pat MaioMay 30, 2024
BLM To Hold Wyoming’s Smallest Oil And Gas Lease Auction In 15 Years
The Wyoming office the federal BLM is scheduled to hold an auction for oil and gas leases in June that will be one of the smallest in the Cowboy State in years.
Pat MaioMay 29, 2024
From Virginia To Alaska, Gov. Mark Gordon Touts Wyoming’s Nuclear Revolution
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has been touting Wyoming's desire to be ground zero for America's next nuclear revolution, from Virginia to Alaska.
Pat MaioMay 29, 2024
Wyoming To Expand Critical Minerals Permitting To Include Uranium, Rare Earths
With Wyoming positioning to become ground zero for a new U.S. nuclear power revolution, the state is finalizing rules to expand its energy regulatory authority to include uranium and rare earths mining, aka “nuclear source material."
Pat MaioMay 28, 2024
Families Snubbed At Cheyenne National Cemetery On Memorial Day
As many as 100 showed up at Cheyenne National Cemetery on Monday morning for an advertised Memorial Day service in honor of fallen heroes and loved ones. But the VA never showed up to host the service.
Pat MaioMay 27, 2024
Conservative Advocacy Group Lowers Gas To $2.38 A Gallon At Cheyenne Gas Station
On a nationwide bus tour, conservative activist group Americans for Prosperity gave a $1 discount to motorists filling up at a Cheyenne gas station Sunday, rolling back the price to $2.38 a gallon, what it was at the beginning of the Biden administration.
Pat MaioMay 26, 2024
Sewage Treatment Plants All Across Wyoming Are Falling Apart
Signs of age are beginning to cripple Wyoming’s sewage treatment system. Some cities are in dire need of tens of millions of dollars to upgrade their systems.
Pat MaioMay 25, 2024
Life Will Never Be The Same For Pair Caught In Flash Fire At Wyoming Power Plant
Barely four weeks on the job, electrician Matthew Balcazar and a co-worker were severely burned when a coal-dust combustion erupted in a storage silo at the Dave Johnston power plant near Glenrock, Wyoming.
Pat MaioMay 24, 2024
Visionary Metals May Have A $1 Billion Nickel Claim In Central Wyoming
Lander-based Visionary Metals, whose chief executive has family ties to the famed uranium heartland community of Jeffrey City, is staking a potential $1 billion claim on America’s next big strategic mineral — nickel.
Pat MaioMay 23, 2024
Huge 1.2 Million-Panel Wyoming Solar Farm Gets Green Light To Build
The largest solar power project in Wyoming — a $1.2 billion, 1.2-million panel farm -- on Tuesday was given the green light to start building. It will supply electricity to the incoming data centers which will be built in south Cheyenne.
Pat MaioMay 22, 2024
Crypto, Data Centers, Push for EVs Will Explode The Need For Electricity, Barrasso Says
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday that the amount of energy the country will need in five years is going to increase so much, it's like "adding a whole new California."
Pat MaioMay 21, 2024
Firm That Wants To Build Carbon-Sucking Silos In Wyoming Signs Deal With Saudis
Spiritus, a venture capital firm that wants to build a direct air carbon capture project in Wyoming, signed a deal with Saudi-backed Aramco Ventures to develop its technology on a pilot project in the Middle Eastern country.
Pat MaioMay 20, 2024
Can Wyoming Break With Federal Government And Become Energy Independent?
Wyoming legislators are examining an approach to energy independence and ownership of coal- and natural-gas power plants that would directly pit them against the Biden administration’s policy of ending coal production by 2041.
Pat MaioMay 20, 2024
Wyoming Coroner Finds Unclaimed Remains In Shared Coffins Or Shipped Out Of State
Natrona County Coroner James Whipps was shocked to find inconsistent and haphazard treatment of unidentified remains. He found them stored on shelves, buried in communal coffins or shipped out of state. He’s on a mission to change that.
Pat MaioMay 18, 2024
Wyoming Oil And Gas Group Challenges Suffocating EPA, BLM Rules
The Petroleum Association of Wyoming joined with other trade groups this week to file a pair of lawsuits challenging Biden administration rules that could suffocate gas, oil and methane production.
Pat MaioMay 16, 2024