Gordon Blasts Court Ruling to Further Stall Wyoming Energy Production

Treasurer Mark Gordon released the following statement after U.S. District Judge Brian Morris issued a ruling that will require oil, gas and coal leases issued in the Powder River Basin to go through individual reviews as to their impact in fighting climate change, a ruling similar to the one Morris issued earlier this year applying to the region as a whole.
“This ill-conceived, wrongheaded, and politically expedient ruling not only adds unjustified burdens to industries only just recovering from the economic devastation brought on them by a myopic Obama Administration, but appears to be single-mindedly designed to strike at the very heart of Wyoming’s energy industry – putting thousands of jobs and the region’s economy at risk. This ruling only serves to further halt and delay any expansion of coal, oil or natural gas exploration in the Powder River Basin. For too long, federal and judicial overreach has tied Wyoming’s natural resources in bureaucratic red tape. As Governor, I will work with our Attorney General and congressional delegation to push back on these types of burdensome rulings and regulations that stall Wyoming energy production and have devastating impacts on our local and state economies.”