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Flag Notice – Full staff on Inauguration Day Jan. 20th (posted 1/15/2025)
Governor Gordon orders flags at the Capitol and State Buildings to fly at Full Staff on Inauguration Day
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING – Governor Mark Gordon has ordered both the U.S and Wyoming flags to be raised to full staff at the Capitol and all state buildings from sunrise to sunset on Monday, January 20, 2025 to recognize the Inauguration of President Donald Trump.
"It is correct for our country to celebrate the inauguration of a new president and honor it with our flags flying high, just as we should continue to honor the life and legacy of President Carter by returning them to half-staff on Tuesday, January 21. Both actions mark our respect and reverence for the importance of these times," Governor Gordon said.
Flags will be lowered again to half-staff from sunrise January 21, 2025, to sunset January 28, 2025, in remembrance of President Jimmy Carter.
Chronic Wasting Disease found in Elk Hunt Area 98 (posted 1/15/2025)
Wyoming Game & Fish
PINEDALE, WYOMING — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has detected the presence of chronic wasting disease in an adult female elk from Elk Hunt Area 98. The elk was found dead on the Scab Creek feedground at the end of December. Department personnel investigated and removed the carcass after sampling the elk.
Elk Hunt Area 98 is located in the Pinedale region and is bordered by three CWD-positive elk areas: 28, 92 and 127. This is the third documented case of CWD in the hunt area and the first confirmed case of an elk testing positive on a feedground.
The disease is 100% fatal to infected deer, elk and moose. Continued monitoring of CWD over time is important to help Game and Fish understand the potential impacts of the disease, as well as evaluate future management actions. Department personnel will continue to closely monitor feedgrounds for elk showing signs of CWD.
Scab Creek feedground will be included in the Department’s first Feedground Management Action Plan (FMAP) process this year. This process will explore both long-term and short-term opportunities to reduce elk reliance and disease transmission risks on feedgrounds.
Please visit the Game and Fish website for more information on chronic wasting disease testing, transmission and regulations on transportation and disposal of carcasses.
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Sublette County Health to open new Hospital July 1, 2025 (posted 1/14/2025)
Sublette County Hospital District
PINEDALE, WYOMING — Sublette County Health is thrilled to announce the opening of its new hospital facility on July 1, 2025, marking a transformative milestone in healthcare for Sublette County. The hospital will feature eight beds, enabling patients to remain close to home for overnight stays. New radiology services will include advanced imaging options such as MRI, mammography, and DEXA scans. Under the leadership of Interim CEO Greg Brickner, the organization is committed to enhancing healthcare services and uniting its team under a shared vision of quality care.
Greg Brickner, who joined Sublette County Health after serving as CFO at Hot Springs Health in Thermopolis, shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming transition: "Our future is bright, and I’m excited to work together as we prepare to open this state-of-the-art facility. Over the past 12 weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of working with our dedicated team to define our purpose, priorities, and vision for the future."
To guide this effort, Sublette County Health has outlined three key priorities:
1. Day One Ready With the new facility opening in approximately 165 days, the team is diligently focused on finalizing every detail to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. Countdown clocks placed throughout the organization reflect the collective excitement and dedication to achieving this milestone. Sublette Center residents are scheduled to move in August 2025, shortly after the hospital opens, allowing for a peaceful transition while minimizing the disruptions associated with the hospital's opening day.
2. Creating "One Team" Sublette County Health encompasses the Sublette Center, Pinedale Clinic, Marbleton Clinic, EMS, and the new hospital. Despite operating in multiple locations, the organization is committed to functioning as a single, unified team. "The county entrusted us to provide unified healthcare under one umbrella, and we will honor that by aligning our goals, fostering collaboration, and working together," Brickner emphasized.
3. Focusing on Quality of Care Building on the Sublette Center’s 5-star rating, the new hospital will maintain a steadfast commitment to excellence. Quality care remains at the heart of the organization’s mission, ensuring accountability and trust with the community it serves.
Sublette County Health is dedicated to being the healthcare provider of choice for the residents of Sublette County, offering exceptional care to friends, family, and neighbors.
For more information about the new facility and ongoing initiatives, please check out our website at www.sublettehospitaldistrict.org.
About Sublette County Health
Sublette County Health operates the Sublette Center, Pinedale Clinic, Marbleton Clinic, and EMS services, providing comprehensive care to the community. The new hospital will expand services, including DEXA scans, mammograms, and MRIs, ensuring residents have access to advanced healthcare close to home.
Rocky Mountain Power Wyoming rate proposal (posted 1/14/2025)
14.7% rate increase means typical residential customer see a $17.17 increase per month or more
Pinedale Online!
Rocky Mountain Power says increasing insurance premiums relating to rising wildfire risks, along with capital investments in transmission and wind projects, are driving their rate request filed with the Wyoming Public Service Commission. If approved, this would result in an overall increase in general rates of $123.5 million, which would yield an overall percentage increase of 14.7%.
For the typical residential customer using 700 kilowatt-hours per month, the increase would be $17.17 per month. A customer who uses 1,400 kilowatt-hours per month would see a monthly increase of $31.34.
Rocky Mountain Power claims their customer rates are one of the lowest-cost electric utilities in the U.S. The significant capital investments in this request include Wyoming’s share of the Gateway South and Gateway West Segment D.1 projects, and the Rock Creek I and II wind projects. RMP says these projects are helping the company keep costs low for customers and maintain reliability.
Increasing insurance premiums relating to rising wildfire risks are far beyond anything the company has experienced before, they state on their website, https://www.rockymountainpower.net/. Excess liability insurance costs were up 270% in one year, and the 2023-24 policy year represents a 1,888% increase over the last five years.
The Wyoming Public Service Commission’s (PSC) will host an online-only public comment hearing scheduled for 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. See the info below for Zoom and phone access for this public meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting at 5:00PM:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9933449233
Or Dial 1-669-900-9128 or 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 993 344 9233"
WY Dept of Ed 2025 Legislative Priorities (posted 1/12/2025)
Wyoming Department of Education
Today (Sunday, January 12, 2025), Superintendent Degenfelder unveiled a bold agenda for the 2025 legislative session, focusing on protecting students and families, expanding school choice, pursuing academic excellence, and defending state lands, investments, and buildings. These priorities reflect her role as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Land Commissioner, and State Loan and Investment Board member.
"Our future is under attack by extreme ideologies and federal overreach that have no place in Wyoming. This legislative agenda is about standing firm against this assault, protecting our families and resources, empowering parents, and ensuring every student is equipped to succeed with the values that make Wyoming strong," the Superintendent said.
Protecting Students and Families
1. Defending Fairness and Safety: Extend prohibition on biological men participating in women’s sports to the collegiate level. Limit school bathroom access to biological sex.
2. Preserving Parental Rights: Require parental consent for school staff to address children by a name or gender different from one assigned at birth.
3. Enhancing School Safety: Expand concealed carry in schools and improve security measures.
4. Addressing Mental Health: Establish an external referral system for student mental health, ensuring students have access to the help they need.
5. Combating Fentanyl: Strengthen penalties for fentanyl distribution to minors and possession of narcotics on school grounds.
6. Shielding Children Online: Ban access to online pornography for minors.
7. School Board Accountability: Allowing school board candidates to designate their political party when running for office.
Enhancing School Choice
1. Expanding Opportunity: Eliminate the cap on state-authorized charter schools, streamline central administration funding and clarify facilities.
2. Empowering Families: Remove the Governor’s income restrictions on education savings accounts.
3. Reducing Bureaucracy: End unnecessary government oversight of homeschooling.
4. Increasing Local Options: Allow for school choice within districts.
Pursuing Academic Excellence
1. Foundational Learning: Enact comprehensive early literacy reforms to ensure our students read at grade level.
2. Removing Distractions in Classrooms: Ban cellphones during instructional time.
3. Preparing for Careers: Expand career and technical education opportunities.
4. Protecting Academic Integrity: Eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion "DEI" practices from all public institutions.
5. Innovative Practices: Launch blockchain partnership for competency-based learning and technology instruction
Defending State Lands, Investments, and Buildings
1. Preserving State Sovereignty: Ensure no net increase of federal land in Wyoming.
2. Supporting Agriculture: Protect the preferential right to renew agricultural leases.
3. Protecting Leaseholders: Exempt state land lessees from property taxes.
4. Defending Second Amendment Rights: Eliminate gun-free zones in the Capitol and state-owned office buildings.
5. Promoting Energy Industry: Codify the State Loan and Investment Board’s updated Investment Policy Statement against Environmental and Social Governance "ESG."
6. Promoting Property Tax Relief While Maintaining School Funding: Lower property taxes and increase mineral revenue on federal land with President Trump’s Interior Department.
"This is Wyoming, and we don’t let outsiders or ideologues tell us how to raise our kids or manage our resources," the Superintendent said. "Our agenda is clear: protect our families, defend our values, and ensure our schools stay focused on what matters most—educating the next generation."
WY Game and Fish statement on grizzly bear delisting decision (posted 1/10/2025)
Wyoming Game & Fish
CHEYENNE, WYOMING — Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director, Angi Bruce has issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) decision not to delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) grizzly bear. Management of the GYE grizzly bear will remain under federal control.
"The USFWS's decision not to delist the GYE grizzly bear is extremely disappointing and frustrating. The science is clear on grizzly bears: They are recovered in the GYE, and their recovery is a conservation success. It is very clear that grizzly bears should be under state and tribal management.
Failing to recognize grizzly bear recovery in Wyoming is an insult to the Endangered Species Act and dismisses the extensive efforts of our wildlife managers to ensure their place on the landscape.
Despite all our efforts the USFWS has chosen to ignore science and keep grizzly bears listed. This is not a science-based decision, but a decision based on the federal government not wanting to give up control. One of the greatest wildlife conservation success stories on earth is being undermined by a failure to recognize those compromises, collaborations and sacrifices that brought back grizzly bears from the brink of extirpation.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has spent millions of license fee dollars and thousands of hours to fulfill all the obligations required to demonstrate to the courts and USFWS that GYE grizzly bears are fully recovered. This decision shows that no matter what we do, the USFWS refuses to recognize the State’s efforts as well as the sacrifices and compromises made by the public who live, work and recreate in areas occupied by grizzly bears. This decision is unfortunate and disappointing for grizzly bears and for the people of Wyoming."
2024 Oil Gas Chart
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2024 Fourth Quarter Oil & Gas Energy Survey (posted 1/10/2025)
Companies cautiously optimistic for future production and employment
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - The Kansas City Fed’s quarterly Tenth District Energy Survey provides information on current and expected activity among energy firms in the Tenth District. The survey monitors oil and gas-related firms located and/or headquartered in the Tenth District, with results based on total firm activity. Survey results reveal changes in several indicators of energy activity, including drilling, capital spending, and employment. Firms also indicate projections for oil and gas prices. All results are diffusion indexes – the percentage of firms indicating increases minus the percentage of firms indicating decreases.
Results of this survey can be found here: 2024 Fourth Quarter Energy Survey (7 pages, 356K). Results from past surveys and release dates for future surveys can be found at www.kansascityfed.org/.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City serves the Tenth Federal Reserve District, encompassing the western third of Missouri; all of Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wyoming; and the northern half of New Mexico. As part of the nation’s central bank, the Bank participates in setting national monetary policy, supervising and regulating numerous commercial banks and bank holding companies, and providing financial services to depository institutions.
Firms were contacted between December 16th, 2024, and January 2nd, 2025. Here are some of the survey findings:
- Firms reported that oil prices needed to be on average $62 per barrel for drilling to be profitable, and $84 per barrel for a substantial increase in drilling to occur. Natural gas prices needed to be $3.69 per million Btu for drilling to be profitable on average, and $4.66 per million Btu for drilling to increase substantially.
- The quarter-over-quarter drilling and business activity index was in Q4 was unchanged from the previous quarter. Drilling activity remained down from this time last year. Annual revenues decreased substantially, however, employment and capital expenditures grew moderately.
- Employment and employee hours continued to increase even as revenues and profits declined further.
- Firms anticipate a rebound in activity in the next six months, however, revenues and profits are still expected to decline further in the coming months.
- Firms reported what they expected oil and natural gas prices to be in six months, one year, two years, and five years. The average expected WTI prices were $70, $71, $75, and $81 per barrel, respectively. The average expected Henry Hub natural gas prices were $3.09, $3.36, $3.67, and $3.98 per million Btu, respectively.
- Firms were asked about their plans for employment and capital expenditures in 2025 vs. 2024. Most firms plan to keep employment levels mostly unchanged or increase them slightly. Another 10% of firms plan to increase employment significantly, and only 7% plan to decrease employment slightly. Plans for capital expenditures were more mixed. Many firms plan to increase capital expenditures slightly (43%), while 17% plan to increase them significantly, 13% remain unchanged, 17%, decrease slightly, and 10% decrease significantly.
Source: https://www.kansascityfed.org/surveys/energy-survey/tenth-district-energy-activity-fell-at-a-steady-pace/ www.kansascityfed.org
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.
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