A bill that would expand Wyoming's ability to fight the Environmental Protection Agency in court received initial approval in the state House of Representatives.
The bill gives the Wyoming Attorney General's Office over two million dollars to fight back against EPA policies that the state deems unacceptable. The state is already engaged in a number of lawsuits against the agency.
Casper Republican Tim Stubson noted that he sat on a committee charged with speaking to federal agencies, but the EPA did not respond to them. That convinced Stubson that a bill like this is necessary.
"Anything we can do to get a response and recognition that their policies have real impacts on citizens is a good thing."
The House also give initial approval to a Joint Resolution asking Congress to require the E-P-A to respect the primacy of Wyoming when it comes to regulating carbon emissions.