Wyoming coal contains less sulfur than coal from the Midwest or Appalachia. But companies didn't care until federal regulations forced them to care.
Wyoming's miserly approach to budgeting leaves the state stuck in a boom-and-bust cycle.

What will Wyo lawmakers do with an extra $3 billion this year?

Last year, facing a supposed "budget crisis," the Legislature and Gov. Gordon cut hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding, eliminated hundreds of jobs, and refused cost-of-living raises for teachers during record inflation. Now that the oil and gas industry is booming and tax revenues have soared, the state has a $3 billion surplus. What will they do with it during the 2023 session that starts next week?
The Legislature's tax giveaway won't help Wyoming coal workers—but it will put money in CEOs' pockets.

Wyo. Legislature finally (sort of) admits that the coal industry is dying

Unfortunately, state lawmakers’ responses to the industry’s decline won’t save jobs or help coal communities. They will, however, lead to less funding for public schools and higher energy costs for Wyoming residents.
Gov. Gordon, who has overseen hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to women-dominated healthcare and education industries, mugs with a miner in an image from his campaign website.

Wyo. lawmakers bend over backwards to support male-dominated industries. Those that employ women? Not so much.

With one hand, Wyoming lawmakers throw support behind the declining coal, oil, and gas industries, providing public investment and political support. With the other hand, they gut sectors where women work like healthcare, education, and retail. No wonder we have the nation’s worst gender wage gap.
Wyoming lost 6,000 jobs in the mining sector last year.

Minerals committee hijacks bill to help Wyoming transition from fossil fuels

The proposal would have created an independent task force to explore how Wyoming workers and communities can persevere through the global transition away from fossil fuels. Instead, the Legislature’s House Minerals Committee—which works hand-in-hand with industry—amended the bill to put the “transition” task force under its own control.
Despite the Legislature's best efforts, coal has consistently declined.

The Legislature’s plan to keep Wyoming burning coal (whether we like it or not)

The Legislature has been working hard—and failing—since 2019 to prop up Wyoming’s coal industry. This year, proposals to support carbon capture, ban renewable energy, sue states that decrease coal use, and force coal-fired plants to stay open are all on the table.
Gordon has taken the throne of the Coal Kingdom.

Gov. Mark “King Coal” Gordon to receive $1 million annual Wyoming coal marketing budget

The program won’t be enough to impact global markets, but it will help distract state residents from the fact that there is no plan to transition Wyoming away from dependence on a dying industry.
No one who doesn't have healthcare access was asked to participate.

The Wyoming Liberty Group’s Medicaid expansion dog and pony show

The Wyoming Liberty Group actively opposes Medicaid expansion, but it hosted a panel discussion to (allegedly) present “both sides” of the debate. It was facts and information against folksy catchphrases and scare tactics .
Don't nuclear waste, immigration prisons, and opiods just inspire you to think of growth and prosperity?

Wyoming's economic development disasters

If Wyoming wants to diversify and develop its economy, it should focus its efforts on building communities where people desire to live, instead of desperately jumping on each pile-of-garbage "opportunity" that passes our way.
Without decisive action from state leadership, staying strong is about all folks in coal-dependent places like Gillette can hope to do.

Wyoming’s woeful response to coal’s collapse

As the coal industry falters, costing Wyoming hundreds of millions of dollars per year in lost revenues, state leaders struggle to act.
Wyoming coal contains less sulfur than coal from the Midwest or Appalachia. But companies didn't care until federal regulations forced them to care.

Federal regulations created Wyoming's coal industry

Wyoming politicians whine about the federal “War On Coal.” But no one was buying the Powder River Basin’s low-sulfur product until the Clean Air Act made it more affordable than its competitors.