Energy, meat processing bills clear governor's desk

Though the 66th Legislative Session has come to an end, bills continue to pass across the desk of Governor Mark Gordon for his signature. Over the last week, the governor has signed several bills, including three that support the energy sector.

House Bill 166, for example, requires public utilities to take additional steps before they may retire coal or natural gas plants. Utilities must now demonstrate to the Public Service Commission that such retirements will not lead to added costs for ratepayers or less reliable electrical service.

“The experience Texas and others had earlier this year underscores how critical it is that our electric grid remains reliable, and that it continues to provide 24-hour dispatchable power. It is imperative that this be done without adding additional costs to Wyoming ratepayers,” Governor Gordon said in a press release. 

“We already enjoy this because many existing power facilities currently operating in Wyoming are efficient and can produce power regardless of weather conditions. So if a utility plans to close a facility, it must show that a retirement will result in cost savings to customers, without compromising the dependability of their power supply.”

Senate File 152 prevents cities and counties from implementing any ordinance or policy that prohibits “the connection or reconnection of an electric, natural gas, propane or other energy utility service” as provided by a public utility, which protects customers from paying higher rates due to ordinances that don’t allow the use of a specific energy source.

House Bill 189 allows oil producers to utilize natural gas that would normally be flared into the atmosphere for other purposes, including cryptocurrency mining. 

House Bill 51 supports a different area of Wyoming industry: meat production. The bill creates the Wyoming Meat Processing Expansion Grant, to be administered by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture.

The program aims to help eligible businesses address COVID-19-related problems by planning, constructing, expanding and maintaining meat processing facilities, upgrading technology and providing workforce training. Individual businesses will be allowed to request up to $1 million, which will come from CARES Act funding or subsequent federal pandemic relief funds.

House Bill 158 focuses on land use planning. It prohibits local governments such as counties from requiring that a development or land use must be consistent with their land use plan, unless the provisions of that plan also appear in the local zoning regulations. The bill defines a land use plan as a written statement of policies, visions, goals and objectives.

“However, these plans shall not require any provisions for zoning,” states the bill, which also specifies that zoning regulations trump land use plans.