Wyoming lawmakers are voting on the state budget this week and are considering proposals to strengthen the energy industry in the state.
15 million dollars is proposed for a facility to study the capture, sequestration, and management of carbon emissions from a coal fired power plant. Senator Jim Anderson of Glenrock says it’s important to the future of Wyoming Coal.
“Perhaps bring Wyoming into a new era and it would certainly in regard to our reliance on coal and other things that are carbon based be a blessing if in fact we could do this.”
The budget also sets up an energy advisory council to further develop the governor’s energy policy. Senator Curt Meier said that it will include representatives from a number of agencies from the University of Wyoming to the Wyoming Business Council.
“We’ve got some experts and some people on the boards in some of these authorities in different areas that have real world experience and I think they will come up with a product that we can move forward with in a quick amount of time.”
Lawmakers say that these efforts will keep the state competitive in the energy marketplace.