Governor Mark Gordon has signed a Temporary Emergency Suspension Order that allows Unit 2 of the Jim Bridger Power Plant to continue operating for at least 4 months and avert a New Year’s Day shutdown of the unit.
More than eighteen months ago, Wyoming submitted a revised State Implementation Plan to the Environmental Protection Agency that would have allowed Unit 2 of the power plant to continue to operate and still meet the regional haze guidelines.
The revised plan was originally approved by the EPA in 2020, but earlier this year, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, reversed course and refused to honor the prior approval. Consequently, the outdated State Implementation Plan requiring the addition of expensive selective catalytic reduction equipment to be installed on Unit 2 by December 31st remains in effect.
At this date, it is impossible to meet that deadline. In signing the order, Gordon declared, “We had a deal. PacifiCorp, EPA and Wyoming all agreed in 2020 that the regional haze guidelines would not only be met, but exceeded with the revised SIP.
Now, with that deal unilaterally abandoned by EPA, this emergency order is necessary to protect Wyoming workers from EPA’s recklessness.”
- National Elk Refuge February 2026 Biological Update: Mild Winter Persists in Jackson Hole - February 9, 2026
- Wyoming Game and Fish Hosts Workshops on Elk Feedground Management Action Plans - February 9, 2026
- Jackson Town Council Considers Unmet Housing Grant Application for S4 Flats on January 20th - January 20, 2026