Platte Valley healthcare committee tours hospitals
The Platte Valley Healthcare Sustainability Project Committee toured critical access hospitals in rural Montana communities to get a feel of what could be built in Saratoga.
If a feasibility study, which is currently underway, shows that a critical access hospital could be built, the committee will take advice from the sites they visited to move forward.
Stop sign changes coming to Rawlins intersection
Rawlins residents, especially those commuting from the south side of the city, will notice a new stop sign at the intersection of State Street and Higley Boulevard. The change comes as a request from the mayor and is backed by the Urban Systems Committee. Cali O’Hare reports.
Federal judge temporarily halts oil and gas drilling in Wyoming
By Jim O’Reilly
A federal judge in Washington D.C. this week put a halt to oil and gas drilling on nearly 500 square miles in Wyoming, including public lands in Carbon County. The case could have implications across the Rocky Mountain West.
The environmental group that brought the lawsuit, Wildearth Guardians, called the ruling “a massive blow to (President) Trump’s energy dominance agenda.” Wyoming’s congressional delegation denounced the injunction. Senator Mike Enzi said the ruling is “short-sighted” and will damage Wyoming’s workforce and the economy.”
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, citing climate change, temporarily blocked fracking on 300,000 acres and ordered the Bureau of Land Management to redo its environmental analysis of the sales. In his opinion, the judge said the BLM must consider emissions from past, present and foreseeable future when considering any oil and gas lease.
U.S. Representative Liz Cheney said the ruling “reflects the litigation strategy used by far-left environmental extremists to thwart energy development in Wyoming.”
Wildlife Guardians is known for its carpet approach to litigation. For instance, ten years ago the group filed lawsuits against 50 percent of all oil and gas leases in the Rocky Mountain west.
The affected leases in this week’s ruling are spread across Wyoming with the majority located in Fremont County. About 20 are in western Carbon County, between Interstate 80 on the north and Muddy Creek on the south. Another three parcels are located near Elk Mountain.
A group representing the oil and gas industry, Denver-based Western Energy 1, noted yesterday that the environmental analysis for the leases was done under the Obama Administration in 2015 and 2016. The group said it is hopeful the ruling will be overturned on appeal.
Electronic skill games case postponed
The court case over the legality of electronic skill games was set for next week in Natrona County District Court. Former Attorney General Peter Michael ruled the games were illegal because they permit gambling. Attorneys representing the vendors of the games asked for a postponement to see if new Attorney General Bridget Hill believes the games are legal or not. Emma Diercks has the latest.
Sports: Track and soccer squads hope for good weather
- Cowgirl basketball team downs UNC to advance to the round-of-32 in the WNIT
- UW track opens outdoor season this weekend
- UW golf has momentium movig forward
- Rockies pitcher Scott Oberg primed for season
