Three Republic candidates for Wyoming Governor disagreed over how much the state invests in fossil fuels as opposed to alternative fuels during a debate hosted by Wyoming PBS and broadcast by Wyoming Public Radio.
Republican candidate Taylor Haynes says the state should not be investing money in the private sector and that the market will determine which kind of fuel the public will support. When it comes to alternative energy, Haynes say it works on a smaller scale.
“If the temperature tonight goes from where it is now to 30 degrees you can’t call up wind mills and solar panels, the technology isn’t there. Where you can use that is in individual units like on my ranch because we can control the load.”
Governor Matt Mead defended his focus on fossil fuels.
“These things are why we can be the lowest tax state, these things build jobs, these things provide a quality of life to our citizens.” But Superintendent Cindy Hill says that the tax structure is not equitable.
“Wind energy and many of the renewables are not taxed at the same level that our other energies…if we are going to make an equal balanced approach here we need to do more in that area.”
The three face off in the Republican primary election on August 19th.
