July 18, 2024 |
Photo – WEA logo – Courtesy WEA web page
The Wyoming Energy Authority, which lobbies for the state’s diverse energy industry, has selected a law firm to support the state’s litigation efforts on behalf of the beleaguered coal industry.
The WEA’s seven-member board of directors is selected by the governor.
Wyoming is home to one-third of the nation’s coal reserves. In 2018 40% of the coal mined in the U.S. came from Wyoming. The state’s coal industry employed more than 5,500 jobs and produced $679.6 million to state & local governments.
The state has been under attack from the anti-coal, anti-carbon tilt of the Joe Biden White House for the last three and one-half years.
The WEA chose the law firm of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber Shreck, which has offices in Denver and Washington, D.C., to represent Wyoming’s interests against the latest round of rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The law firm has previously helped Wyoming in winning legislation to create permanent carbon sequestration projects in the state.
Governor Gordon said in a statement yesterday, “Wyoming is marshaling all available resources to fight the Biden Administration’s ongoing attack on our coal industry, our workers, and ultimately our communities.”
The money to pay for the outside legal services will come from funds set aside by the Wyoming Legislature.
The Governor allocated $300,000 in Coal Litigation Funds to the WEA on May 20th of this year. The WEA opened a request for proposals for coal litigation support on June 7th.
Brownstein will assist Wyoming on several fronts, including combat laws and other federal regulations that block the state’s ability to export coal or cause the early-retirement of coal-fired power plants in the state.
WEA Executive Director Bob Creager said in a statement, “Wyoming is committed to defending Wyoming’s coal industry and the reliable, affordable power that it supplies to millions of Americans. We are eager to be able to provide assistance to the State of Wyoming in its fight.”
Helping the law firm in the legal battle will be former U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt.
