Post Offices to be closed on Jan. 9 (posted 1/3/2025) For National Day of Observance for former President Jimmy Carter
Public Notice: Post Offices will be closed on Thursday, January 9th, 2025 for the National Day of Observance for former President Jimmy Carter. The Post Office will suspend regular mail delivery and retail services on Thursday. Regular operations will resume on Friday, January 10, 2025. President Carter died on December 29, 2024 at age 100.
Barrasso sworn in as Senate Majority Whip for 119th Congress (posted 1/3/2025)
Senator Barrasso media release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, January 3, 2025, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) was officially sworn into the United States Senate to continue serving Wyoming in the 119th Congress. He also began his new leadership role as Senate Majority Whip, the second most senior position in the Senate Republican leadership. He released the following statement:
"It’s my honor to continue representing the people of Wyoming in the United States Senate. Their priorities are at the top of my mind as I take on the position of Majority Whip. Americans voted boldly this year to lower costs, secure our border, and unleash American energy. Senate Republicans heard them loud and clear. We are ready to deliver a new direction for our country with President Trump. I look forward to serving the American people and securing more wins for Wyoming." In addition to his role as Senate Majority Whip, Barrasso serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Finance, and Foreign Relations committees.
Governor Gordon calls Court ruling regarding BLM’s Oil and Gas leases a partial Wyoming victory (posted 1/3/2025) Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING – Governor Mark Gordon called the New Year’s Eve decision by the United States District Court of Wyoming in Wyoming v. Haaland, 22-cv-247 "an important partial victory for Wyoming." The suit was brought in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) failure to conduct quarterly oil and gas lease sales where eligible lands are available as provided in The Mineral Leasing Act. The Biden Administration did not hold lease sales for quarters 2 and 3 in 2021 or in the third quarter in 2022.
"The Court clearly found that the BLM’s decision to not have the third quarter lease sale in 2022 arbitrary and capricious," Governor Gordon said. "Unfortunately, the court did not rule the same way for the BLM’s failure to conduct lease sales in 2021."
"While it is encouraging the court ruled in favor of the State for the BLM’s lack of sales in Q3 2022, it is also baffling this thinking did not carry throughout the order to include 2021.
Wyoming will examine its options for the upcoming remedy briefing and focus our efforts towards working with the pro-energy administration of President-elect Trump. I am optimistic future federal oil and gas lease sales will be meaningful, contain sufficient acreage, and be consistently held as required," Governor Gordon added.
The Governor lauded President-elect Trump’s drive to expand fossil fuel production. "Wyoming citizens – and all Americans – have every reason to expect that President Trump will make good on his promise to issue a series of energy-focused executive orders favorable to energy producers and ultimately, our nation."
Governor Gordon to pursue Federal land acquisitions with Kelly Parcel sale proceeds (posted 1/3/2025) Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING – Governor Mark Gordon announced a significant, long-awaited milestone: the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming Office establishing a deliberate and careful process to pursue the acquisition or exchange of federal land in the state. Governor Gordon previously indicated his desire to utilize the $100 million generated by the sale of the Kelly Parcel to purchase federal lands and minerals within Wyoming. The $100 million could be combined with an additional $62 million from the sale of other Teton County parcels for this purpose, as directed by the legislature.
"Along with the protection of an iconic parcel of land, we now begin working to ensure that there is no net-gain in federal lands in Wyoming," Governor Gordon said. "It has been my goal to utilize the proceeds of this sale to expand the State’s portfolio of lands and minerals, and this is the first step towards doing so."
Governor Gordon also stressed that this is just one of the first steps in the purchase or exchange process. Still to come will be opportunities for public comment as well as input from adjoining private landowners, federal and state lease holders, who could be affected by a sale or exchange of federal lands.
Following the combined November meeting of the State Board of Land Commissioners and the State Loan and Investment Board, the Office of State Lands began researching land ownership patterns in both the Powder River Basin and in southwest Wyoming, and has begun identifying a list of potential parcels managed by BLM.
DOI purchases 640-acre Kelly parcel within Grand Teton National Park (posted 1/3/2025)
The Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced the completion of a purchase of a 640-acre parcel of land from the State of Wyoming within Grand Teton National Park in northwest Wyoming. The parcel, known as the Kelly parcel, is a one square mile of State School Trust land inholding within the Park.
The purchase price for the property was $100 million. The purchase was made possible through an Interior Department and National Park Service (NPS) public-private partnership with the Grand Teton National Park Foundation and additional support from the National Park Foundation. The Department invested $62.4 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) paired with $37.6 million in private donations raised by Grand Teton National Park Foundation. All $100 million from the sale will directly benefit Wyoming’s public education system.
The closing on the Kelly parcel completes an effort that spanned decades to exchange, trade or sell the State-owned School Trust land within Grand Teton National Park. A Wyoming constitutional mandate requires that school trust lands, created at statehood in 1890, must generate income for the common school trust. Since the late 1990s, Wyoming’s congressional delegation, governor and state legislature have worked to resolve this inholding challenge. The late U.S. Senator Craig Thomas passed legislation in 2003 to authorize exchanges, sales or trades that would compensate the State of Wyoming for the Grand Teton school section inholdings. The second-to-last school section in the park, known as Antelope Flats, was purchased by the NPS in 2016 for $46 million, which was made possible by $23 million in philanthropic support raised by Grand Teton National Park Foundation and the National Park Foundation that matched $23 million from the LWCF.
The parcel increases the Grand Teton National Park landscape connectivity to habitat of Yellowstone National Park with the Bridger-Teton and Caribou-Targhee National Forests, including the Upper Green River Valley and the Wind River, Gros Ventre, and Wyoming Range mountains. The parcel is part of an important link for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn migration corridors that stretch to public, private and Tribal lands hundreds of miles away.
BLM Pinedale and Kemmerer Field Offices announce big game winter range closures (posted 1/2/2025) Bureau of Land Management
The BLM Kemmerer and Pinedale Field Offices will close BLM-administered public big game winter ranges to all motorized vehicle travel from Jan. 1 through Apr. 30, 2025. This annual closure is necessary to protect elk, moose, pronghorn, and mule deer from disruptive human activities during the difficult winter months which can increase the mortality rate for these animals.
Kemmerer Field Office area, the following areas will be closed: • The Slate Creek area south of Fontenelle Creek, west and north of Highway 189 and east of the crest of Slate Creek Ridge. • The Rock Creek area south of County Road 204/Pine Creek Road, west of the crest of Dempsey Ridge, west of Fossil Butte National Monument and north and east of Highway 30. • The Bridger Creek area south of Highway 30, west of Fossil Ridge, west of the Bear River Divide, north of the Uinta-Lincoln County line, east of the Utah-Wyoming border and southeast of Highway 89.
Pinedale Field Office area, the following areas will be closed: • The Ryegrass, Bench Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet and Miller Mountain winter ranges including lands north of Fontenelle Creek, east of the U.S. Forest Service Boundary, west of U.S. Highway 189 and south of Horse Creek. • The Mesa winter range including lands east of County Road 110/East Green River Road, north of County Road 136/Paradise Valley Road, west of the New Fork River and south of U.S. Highway 191.
Motorized vehicles such as snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, pickups, and sport utility vehicles are prohibited during this time. Use of these areas by non-motorized means such as walking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking is allowed. Highways and county roads are not subject to this closure. Motorized vehicle use on public land the remainder of the year is always limited to existing roads and two-track trails.
Local and federal agencies, including the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, the Lincoln and Uinta County Sheriff’s Offices and the BLM, are excepted when performing official duties.
Additionally, operators of existing oil and gas facilities performing maintenance and pumping, as approved in their permits; livestock operators conducting permitted activities; utility companies conducting emergency maintenance after notifying the BLM; and other users who have been granted an exception by submitting a written application to the BLM for review and approval are excepted from this closure.
Signs will be posted at key locations entering the closed areas. For more information about the Pinedale Field Office area, contact Mark Thonhoff, (307) 367-5357; and for Kemmerer Field Office area, call (307) 828-4500.
AT&T provides cell service to Wyoming (posted 1/2/2025)
In Wyoming, where there are limited options for cell service and coverage can often be spotty, AT&T is another option for businesses and regular consumers. AT&T has invested more than $110 million in their network infrastructure from 2019 to 2023. They are working to boost both their network reliability and capacity, and also to expand their broadband service nationwide.
To assist with communication for emergency services, AT&T is expanding FirstNet to give the public safety community and first responders better communication access. They are building 1,000 new FirstNet sites across the country. In Wyoming, they are connecting public safety agencies and organizations in nearly 50 cities across the state, including Alta, Buffalo, Casper, Cheyenne, Cody, Fort Laramie, Gillette, Jackson, Laramie, Medicine Bow, Rock Springs, Rolling Hills, Saratoga, Sheridan, and Yoder.
For more information or to sign up for service, go to https://www.att.com/, or in Wyoming call 877-626-3090 option 2 for consumer accounts. Business accounts can call 307-439-3065.
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Flag Half Staff Notice – for passing of President Jimmy Carter (posted 12/30/2024)
Immediately until sunset January 28, 2025 Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING - In accordance with U.S. flag code, Governor Mark Gordon has ordered both the United States and State of Wyoming flags to be flown at half-staff immediately until sunset on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, in honor of President Jimmy Carter who passed away Sunday, December 29.
Governor Gordon has issued the following statement: "On behalf of the people of Wyoming, I express deep sadness and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of former President Jimmy Carter on his passing. President Carter was a great leader – even more so following his presidency. He leaves an indelible legacy of compassion, integrity, and commitment to serving the country. His humility and dedication to public service as well as his efforts to advance human rights and reduce global poverty, will remain an inspiration to us all. We will forever cherish his unwavering commitment to promoting peace, justice, and equality around the world. Rest in peace, President Carter. Your contributions to our nation and the world will never be forgotten."
Corporate Transparency Act ping pong game continues (posted 12/28/2024) Injunction stayed, then paused, as of Dec. 27th reporting rule vacated Pinedale Online!
Two days before Christmas, the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court in Louisiana reversed a Texas court’s injunction of the 2021 Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and reinstated the law while the court case proceeds, putting the filing requirement back in effect. The original deadline to file was January 1, 2025, but the Biden Administration Department of the Treasury has extended the deadline to January 13, 2025 (Donald Trump gets sworn in President on January 20th). With this filing requirement, small business owners face jail time and fines of up to $10,000 for not reporting who their owners are. The court battles continue into the holiday season and as the new year approaches.
Update as of Friday, Dec. 27, 2024: A separate merits panel of the Fifth Circuit has reversed the Dec. 23rd decision of the motions panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals which allowed enforcement of the CTA to continue. In its order pausing CTA enforcement, the merits panel stated that, "in order to preserve the constitutional status quo while the merits panel considers the parties’ weighty substantive arguments, that part of the motions-panel order granting the Government’s motion to stay the district court’s preliminary injunction enjoining enforcement of the CTA and the Reporting Rule is VACATED." The case remains before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, as the plaintiffs have requested that their petition be heard before the full court. While litigation continues, the federal government is prohibited from enforcing the CTA.
Click on the links below for more information on this story.
Related Links: Wyoming Business Owners Could Get Jail, $10,000 Fine For Not Disclosing Ownership By Renée Jean, Cowboy State Daily, Dec. 26, 2024 Update on Corporate Transparency Act BOI filing requirement Pinedale Online, Dec. 11, 2024 LLCs required to file new Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report by January 1, 2025 Pinedale Online, Nov. 18, 2024
BLM updates management plan for Rock Springs Field Office (posted 12/20/2024) Bureau of Land Management
ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today (Friday, December 20, 2024) issued a Record of Decision and approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Rock Springs Field Office. The plan, which replaces the nearly three-decades-old Green River RMP, incorporates significant feedback and input from local stakeholders, including recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force.
The approved plan will guide BLM’s management approach for the region, balancing responsible resource development, grazing, and community use with outdoor recreation, wildlife needs, habitat conservation, and cultural resource protection. The approved plan incorporates input from the Governor and State representatives, local governments, the livestock, mining, oil and gas, and recreation industries, as well as conservationists, hunters and anglers, utility companies, and motorized recreation users. The plan reflects the vast majority of the more than 100 recommendations made by the Governor’s task force in its final report to the BLM.
The Rock Springs planning area includes approximately 3.6 million acres of BLM-administered surface land and 3.5 million acres of BLM-administered mineral estate in portions of Lincoln, Sweetwater, Uinta, Sublette, and Fremont counties in southwestern Wyoming. The approved plan, Record of Decision, and other relevant documents are available at the BLM National NEPA Register.
The BLM published the Notice of Availability releasing the Draft RMP/EIS on August 18, 2023, initiating a 90-day public comment period, which was later extended an additional 62 days through January 17, 2024. During the comment period, the BLM held three in-person public meetings and received more than 35,000 comments. The Governor of Wyoming also appointed a Task Force—composed of representatives from Wyoming local governments, industries, hunters and anglers, conservation groups, and more—to develop recommendations on the draft plan. The BLM issued the Final EIS and Proposed RMP on August 23, 2024. That proposed plan incorporated the majority of recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force, the public, and the Greater Little Mountain Coalition. The Record of Decision confirms the BLM’s proposed management approach and concludes the Rock Springs planning process.
For questions, please contact BLM_WY_912@blm.gov.
Governor Gordon responds to the BLM’s release of the Rock Springs RMP Record of Decision (posted 12/20/2024) Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING – On December 20, 2024, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) signed and released their Record of Decision (ROD) for the Rock Springs Field Office Resource Management Plan (RMP). The ROD was immediately preceded by BLM Principal Deputy Director Nada Culver’s rejection of the Governor’s appeal to his Governor’s Consistency Review response. Governor Gordon issued the following statement:
"The Biden Administration’s BLM did everything within its power to push this out the door before President Trump takes office and their Director leaves for a position with an environmental group. While it is not surprising that Wyoming’s comments were figuratively dumped in the trash, it is disappointing that despite years of collaborative work between state agencies, impacted counties, concerned citizens, and interest groups, all Wyoming is left with is this parting shot from the Biden Administration.
I am absolutely committed to reviewing and pursuing all the options we have to claw back this misguided ROD. With President Trump in office, former Governor Burgum at the head of the Department of the Interior, and a Republican Senate and House, I am confident that we will have the ability to finish the job and right a course that has been so far off track over the last four years."
Governor Gordon, in consultation with the Attorney General, will conduct a thorough review of the ROD to determine if it meets the conditions set by the Wyoming Legislature in the 2024 Budget Bill required for certification of the Kelly Parcel sale. A decision on that review will be announced in the near future.
The BLM’s Rock Springs RMP ROD may be found here and on the BLM’s project website.
C40 Cities aim to ban meat, dairy products, private vehicle ownership, limit clothing purchases, and restrict airplane flights by 2030 (posted 12/20/2024) 14 US cities are part of C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Pinedale Online!
In five years, the world we live in globally could look very different.
"C40 is a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis," according to the organization’s website, https://www.c40.org/. The mayors of these cities, internationally, are committed to cutting emissions in half by 2030 as part of their contribution to a larger climate action plan aligned with the 1.5˚C ambition of the Paris Agreement. Concerns include climate change effects of rising temperatures, severe weather events, and the world’s use and dependence on fossil fuels.
Cities around the world that make up the organization include London, England; Copenhagen, Denmark; Paris, France; Tokyo, Japan; Rio de Janeiro, Argentina; Montreal, Canada; Milan, Italy; Seoul, South Korea; Oslo, Norway; and Hong Kong, China. In America, participating cities include Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Miami, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; Portland, Oregon; Washington, D.C.; and Seattle, Washington.
Some of the encouraged efforts described in the C40 2023 Annual Report include: - Cutting fossil fuel use in cities in half or more by 2030. - Necessity of reducing consumer consumption as a global effort to mitigate climate change by having cities map consumer-based emissions and exploring ways to reduce them. - Reduce the demand for new buildings by up to 20% and reducing the use of steel and cement in construction of new buildings by up to 20%. - Movement to "decarbonize" buildings and new construction to reduce energy use and move away from fossil fuels. - Eliminate meat and dairy consumption to 0% and launching efforts to transform public and private food systems to reduce meat and dairy items. - Reduce household food waste by 50%, ultimately down to 0%. - Reduce commercial supply chain food waste 50-75%. - Reduce new clothing item purchases per person to 3-8 items per year. - Eliminate private vehicle ownership. - Reduce the use of metal and plastic materials by 50% - Creating net-zero and people-centered neighborhoods, where residents access parks, shops, schools, health services, work, and other basics of a life, within a short walk, cycle or public transit trip of their home – the 15-Minute City concept. - Encouraging governments to integrate climate goals into their strategic plans, and to ensure budget allocations reflect climate action implementation. - Grow and expand C40’s Global Green New Deal Pilot Initiative to more cities to plan and deliver local action that tackles the climate crisis while also addressing socio-economic challenges, including on green jobs and just transition. - Reduce the number of short-haul return airplane flights per person to once every 2 to 3 years. - Replace airplane fuel to a low carbon technology or fuel source. - Creating Green and Healthy Streets by putting restrictions in place on motor vehicles, bans on high polluting vehicles, reallocating road space from cars to other modes of transportation (such as bikes and walking). - Encourage governments to divest from or have no municipal investments in fossil fuel companies and become "fossil-free" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. - Creating "Water Safe Cities" committed to adapting urban water management to a changing climate with a mandatory target to prioritize early warning systems to improve water security and vulnerability from flooding, droughts, and including replacing and maintaining existing pipes and implementing smart water meter systems.
In the United States, some cities are already implementing strategies in step with these C40 goals. The Mayor of New York City intends to put caps on the amount of meat and dairy served by city institutions, schools and prisons. In 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations (ACC II) plan to begin phasing out sales of new gas-powered cars and light trucks in the state. In December of this year (2024) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted 11 states permission to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and light trucks by 2035.
The strategic direction of C40 is determined by an elected Steering Committee of mayors, currently co-chaired by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr. The former three-term mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg, is a major funder and serves as President of the C40 Board of Directors, responsible for operational oversight. Major funding comes from many sources including critical core funding from three philanthropic partners: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and Realdania. Other funders include FedEx and Google. C40 Cities is a coalition of billionaires, non-government organizations (NGOs), foundations, banks, governments, and businesses collaborating on the climate change agendas.
Integral to gaining control of populations in this way would very likely be implemented via conversion to a central banking digital currency (CBCD), doing away with untrackable paper money toward trackable online credit card systems. This would allow the forcing of consumer habits and spending ability and controlling access to their money by tieing it to assigned social credit scores based on people’s purchasing choices.
Related Links: C40 Cities Annual Report 2023 Paris Agreement United Nations World Economic Forum Climate Leadership Group The Great Reset Wikipedia New York City Food Policy
Free online learning available for Wyoming’s older adults (posted 12/20/2024) Wyoming Department of Health
A wide range of free classes is available for older Wyoming adults through the Wyoming Department of Health’s (WDH) ongoing partnership with a robust online learning service. Jeff Clark, Community Living Section manager with the WDH Aging Division, described the "GetSetUp" digital education site as an overall opportunity for older adults to increase activity, boost wellness and spark their creativity by learning new things. Wyoming residents have participated in nearly 20,000 classes since WDH made GetSetUp available in the state roughly three years ago. "While the variety of subjects available through GetSetUp is impressive, fitness classes have been the most popular by far among Wyoming users," Clark said. "Wyoming residents can access thousands of interactive classes taught by older adults to their peers on GetSetUp," Clark said. "These classes can be a simple way to connect with others from the comfort and safety of one’s home, which is especially a nice feature during poor weather." Beyond popular fitness classes such as "indoor walking workout," available subjects range from avoiding scams, building computer skills, crafting and cooking to learning about volunteering. Some offerings involve live sessions; others are recorded and available at any time. GetSetUp’s custom-built video learning interface is available around the clock and has been tailored to older adults of all tech levels. The platform offers support via phone and in all classes to help learners with technology, and includes a booking system complete with regular reminders and after-class notes. Wyoming’s older adults can safely and easily connect with a worldwide community by visiting https://www.getsetup.io/partner/wyoming online. Because of the WDH Aging Division partnership with GetSetUp, the classes are free for state residents. To avoid fees, residents should use the coupon code "Wyoming" while booking classes. Clark noted many classes are available in Spanish, with some presented in other languages as well.
Wyoming DEQ begins Upper Green River Basin Redesignation process (posted 12/11/2024) Kimberly Mazza, Wyoming DEQ
PINEDALE, WYOMING – The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Air Quality Division (AQD) recently held a public meeting in Pinedale, Wyoming to discuss the process to officially redesignate the Upper Green River Basin (UGRB) to Attainment status for meeting the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
In 2012, the UGRB was designated by the EPA as a Nonattainment Area (NAA) for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS due to exceedances that occurred in previous years.
The AQD developed enforceable reductions to meet the 2008 Ozone NAAQS and move the Basin back into attainment. Through collaboration with many stakeholders in the Basin, including industry and citizens, the DEQ was able to demonstrate that the enforceable reductions were working. As a result, in 2016, the EPA issued a Determination of Attainment confirming that the UGRB met the 2008 NAAQS of 75ppb for three consecutive years.
The next step for redesignation is developing a 20-year maintenance plan. The maintenance plan ensures continued compliance and includes contingency measures for potential issues. The plan projects future emissions for the next 10 years. At the eight-year mark, the second 10-year plan will be due.
The AQD has designated a special website (UGRBozone.org) to keep the public informed and to provide an opportunity for input to inform Wyoming DEQ’s planning process. The public is encouraged to visit UGRBozone.org for links to submit their input and sign up for updates on the process.
BLM Pinedale and Kemmerer Field Office seeks volunteers for bald eagle survey (posted 12/11/2024) Pinedale survey on January 11, 2025 Bureau of Land Management
PINEDALE, WYOMING — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale and Kemmerer Field Offices are inviting volunteers to participate in the national Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey. The Pinedale survey is scheduled for Saturday, January 11, while the Kemmerer survey will take place on Friday, January 10. Volunteers should call the Pinedale and Kemmerer Field Office by Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, to be assigned survey routes along public roads in Sublette and Lincoln County, Wyoming, and receive instructions on survey methods and eagle identification. Two-person observation teams are needed so that one person can safely drive while the other observes and documents eagles. Since 1979, federal and state agencies as well as volunteers from the public have counted bald eagles throughout the U.S. every January. By monitoring and estimating national and regional count trends, an index of the total winter bald eagle population in the lower 48 states has been established.
For additional information: • Pinedale Field Office: Contact Theresa Gulbrandson at 307-367-5359. • Kemmerer Field Office: Contact David Merz at 307-828-4517.
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