Medicine Bow Council Asks About Wind Energy Taxes

Friday, JULY 25, 2025 |

The governing body of Medicine Bow wants to know why the town is not receiving tax revenue from nearby wind energy projects.

Unique among the western states, Wyoming has implemented a $1 per megawatt-hour excise tax on electricity generated from wind turbines. The tax, which went into effect in 2010, is designed to ensure that the Cowboy State benefits from its growing renewable energy sector.

During the July 14th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, the governing body reviewed its 2025 through 2026 fiscal year budget. During the discussion, Mayor Justin George asked Town Clerk and Treasurer Karen Heath if the budget included revenue from the $1 per megawatt-hour excise tax. Treasurer Heath explained that the town does not receive any of the tax money.

Sixty percent of the wind tax revenue goes to the county where the project is located, with the remaining 40% allocated to the Wyoming state general fund.

Mayor George said Carbon County received roughly $800,000 from the wind energy tax last fiscal year. Treasurer Heath said the state allows the counties to distribute the tax revenue, none of which has ever come to Medicine Bow.

Treasurer Heath added that no municipalities in Carbon County have ever received any wind tax revenue. The town treasurer said she personally questioned the purpose of the tax to state legislators.

Councilwoman Kristi Wickizer asked why Medicine Bow did not receive any wind energy tax revenue. Councilwoman Wickizer said the tax money should go to municipalities affected by the wind turbine projects, specifically in northern Carbon County.

Councilwoman Crystal Mayfield agreed, saying that the wind generation tax revenue should be evenly split among towns with nearby wind turbine projects.

Councilwoman Wickizer said wind tax revenue could be used to balance Medicine Bow’s budget or offset the county’s lost property tax revenue. The Board of Carbon County Commissioners reported a nearly $500,000 loss due to recently passed property tax relief bills. As a result, the county reduced its financial contributions to outside agencies such as the Carbon County Library System by approximately 50 percent. The cut prompted representatives from the Library System Board of Directors to ask municipalities for more support. Treasurer Karen Heath said the county should be solely responsible for funding those agencies.

In February, citing the reduced property tax revenue, Carbon County Library System representative Leigh Nation asked the Medicine Bow Town Council to consider increasing its financial support for the local library and senior center. The council was reluctant to provide additional funding to the library, which is only open one day a week on Thursdays from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The Carbon County Library System saw a 53% reduction in revenue this fiscal year, dropping from $350,964 in 2024 to $164,452. Library System Board of Directors member Adelaide Myers told both the Carbon County Board of Commissioners and the Saratoga Town Council that the Library System cannot function with the reduced budget. Even with substantial donations from towns and residents, Myers said every library in the county will likely need to cut operating hours, and some may be forced to close.

Medicine Bow officials have questioned how a library branch that is open one day a week can reduce its operating hours.