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Country music singer Eli Mosley to perform at Art in the Ag Center June 7 (posted 5/17/2024)
The Western Social and Art Auction will take place Friday, June 7th at the Sublette County Fairgrounds in Big Piney. The event is being held in conjunction with the Western Select Gelding Sale on Saturday. Friday night’s event includes cocktails at 7:30PM, a silent auction, and a photographer’s reception.
Special entertainment for the evening is country singer Eli Mosley in concert at 9:00PM, after the live auction. Mosley is a Nashville recording artist, songwriter, rancher, and a US Marine Corp veteran. His music is traditional country with a modern twist. When he is not on the road, he is a ranch foreman of a 3,000+ acre ranch. Mosley has released three Nashville recorded and produced albums, labeled "Eli," "Come Along With Me," and "Sunday Morning Sinners." His music videos can be found on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and other online media sites.
Art in the Ag Center is a Wyoming non-profit organization committed to supporting the aspirations of Sublette County’s young adults, especially those venturing into the worlds of agriculture, art or trades. Additionally, they champion local photographers by showcasing their artwork and auctioning it to raise funds for scholarships for youth.
Come on out for an evening of art, live music, food, drink, dancing and socializing. Food and concert tickets are $10. A cash bar will be available. Contact Brianne Brewer for more information, 307-749-3546, artintheagcenter@gmail.com.
Related Links:
www.elimosley.com
www.artintheagcenter.com
www.selectgeldingsale.com
BLM proposes No Future Coal Leasing for Buffalo Field Office Management plan (posted 5/17/2024)
30-day comment period open until June 17, 2024
Bureau of Land Management
BUFFALO, WYOMING – The Bureau of Land Management has issued a final supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) and proposed amendment to its Buffalo Field Office land use plan. Release of the final SEIS and proposed amendment opens a 30-day public protest period.
The BLM developed the SEIS and plan amendment in response to a 2022 order from the United States District Court for the District of Montana. The BLM’s proposed alternative, Alternative A, would amend the 2015 Buffalo Field Office resource management plan and make BLM-managed coal resources in the planning areas unavailable for future leasing. Federal coal production is anticipated to continue through 2041 under existing leases.
As required by the court’s order, the supplemental analysis evaluates alternatives for federal coal leasing in the Buffalo Field Office and includes updated information and analysis regarding the health impacts, both climate and non-climate, of developing fossil fuels in the area.
The 12 active surface coal mines within the Buffalo Field Office produced approximately 220 million short tons of federal coal in 2022, down from roughly 400 million tons in 2008.
Both U.S. total coal production and Powder River Basin coal production peaked in 2008 and have since declined steeply, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Written protests must be received by June 17, 2024. Please visit the BLM Filing a Plan Protest page for instructions.
To review the proposed resource management plan amendment and associated analysis, visit the BLM National NEPA Register. For more information, contact project manager Tom Bills at 307-684-1133.
WY Delegation blasts BLM Wyoming coal ban (posted 5/17/2024)
Wyoming Delegation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today (May 16, 2024), U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis and Rep. Harriet Hageman, all R-Wyo., blasted the Bureau of Land Management’s final supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) and proposed amendment to its Buffalo Field Office land use plan.
In the plan, the BLM bans future coal leasing in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. This impacts 12 of Wyoming’s active coal mines and will put 48 billion short-tons of BLM-administered federal coal off limits for mining.
"President Biden continues to wage war on Wyoming’s coal communities and families," said Senator Barrasso. "This short-sighted plan will kill future coal leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin – the most energy-rich area in the country. This will kill jobs and could cost Wyoming hundreds of millions of dollars used to pay for public schools, roads, and other essential services in our communities. Cutting off access to our strongest resources surrenders America's greatest economic advantages – to continue producing affordable, abundant, and reliable American energy."
"I am horrified to see the Biden administration’s latest assault on our nation’s domestic energy production," said Senator Lummis. "Wyoming has been targeted left and right by rule after rule handed down by this administration as it works to cater to the extremists within the Democratic Party. The Cowboy State produces some of the cleanest and best coal in the world. This RMP will push our country to rely on foreign adversaries for energy needs at a time when our grid is pushed to the brim and Wyoming coal is needed now more than ever to power our nation and the world. I will work with my colleagues every step of the way to prevent this RMP from going into effect."
"Joe Biden’s war on the West continues, this time by enacting an RMP that will destroy the Wyoming coal industry," said Representative Hageman. "This decision to eviscerate Wyoming’s coal production will impact every American's access to affordable and reliable energy, and only benefits the despots and dictators that this administration now relies on to meet our energy needs, while further weakening our economy and national security. At the same time, it will result in the need to increase coal production in countries with poor environmental and labor standards, thereby causing even more world-wide pollution – the total opposite of what this failed administration claims to be trying to accomplish. The Biden Administration’s war on affordable and reliable energy won’t end until we end his presidency."
Wyoming sues Biden Administration over Title IX rule changes (posted 5/17/2024)
CHEYENNE, WYOMING. – The State of Wyoming, alongside a coalition of states and private parties, has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit opposing President Biden’s new rules interpreting Title IX. Title IX is a law designed to create educational and athletic opportunities, particularly for female students. The lawsuit argues the new rules are contrary to the core principles of Title IX, compromising safety and privacy, ultimately depriving female athletes of opportunities.
Governor Gordon voiced Wyoming’s firm stance, stating, "Wyoming will fight the Biden Administration’s attempt to rewrite Title IX. The state adamantly upholds its core principles of fairness, privacy and the sanctity of women’s sports, opposing any imposition of ambiguous standards that threaten these ideals. This is yet another instance of federal overreach, seeking to impose a new interpretation on a longstanding law."
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder applauded the lawsuit, stating, "in Wyoming, we protect our girls. We will never allow outrageous political agendas to get in the way of that. Not in bathrooms, not in education, not in sports. Period."
Biden’s new Title IX rule eliminates privacy protections to all students, replaces "sex" with "gender identity" and broadens the definition of what constitutes "discrimination on the basis of sex", which directly contradicts the very purpose of Title IX.
The lawsuit further alleges the rule violates the First Amendment rights of educators, school employees and fellow students, as well as private organizations, who have sincerely held religious beliefs that would prevent them from complying with the rule. The rule also raises due processes concerns on college campuses related to sexual harassment accusations.
The coalition is led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. The lawsuit also includes the states of Alaska and Utah as well as private parties. A copy of the full complaint may be found here.
Wyoming files two lawsuits challenging Biden Administration’s EPA Rules that target Wyoming’s coal industry (posted 5/10/2024)
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING. – Governor Mark Gordon announced that Wyoming has filed two lawsuits challenging new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that target Wyoming’s coal and natural-gas fired power plants.
Today (Friday, May 10, 2024), Wyoming joined a coalition of 24 states challenging the Biden Administration’s recently released power plant regulations. The states argue that the new rule exceeds EPA’s authority and ignores the United States Supreme Court’s 2022 decision vacating Obama-era greenhouse gas limits for power plants. The suit asks the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review and declare the regulations unlawful.
On May 8, Wyoming and 22 other states filed a lawsuit challenging another EPA rule that would require certain air emissions from coal-fired plants to be reduced drastically, with no corresponding health benefits and with great costs to Wyoming and its industries.
"The Biden Administration’s EPA seems determined to use unlawful rulemaking to continue its attacks on Wyoming’s core industries," Governor Gordon said. "The only goal appears to be destroying Wyoming’s fossil fuel industry by further burdening our power plants, increasing costs to consumers, and threatening the stability of our nation's electrical grid."
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First Class Stamp price to increase to $.73 cents in July 2024 (posted 5/10/2024)
Pinedale Online!
The United States Postal Service (USPS) will again increase the price for mailing services that will take effect on July 14, 2024. The price of a first-class mail Forever stamp will increase five cents, from 68 cents to 73 cents. There will be no price increase for Post Office Box rental fees, and the Postal Service will apply a price reduction of 10 percent for postal insurance when mailing an item. The proposed adjustments, if approved by the governors of the Postal Service, would raise mailing services product prices approximately 7.8 percent.
This is the sixth price increase since January 2021,
incrementally increasing the cost of a first class Forever stamp from $.55 cents to $.73 cents. And the Postal Service has indicated there will be more regular increases in the near future. In their December 29, 2023 report to the Postal Regulatory Commission, the US Postal Service said they anticipate to implement price changes for all of their market dominant classes in January and July in each subsequent year after this upcoming increase in July 2024. The price increases, along with their legal obligation to be financially self-sufficient, will help them achieve financial sustainability while improving customer service.
USPS Forever Stamp Historical Prices
(Requested: July 14, 2024: $0.73)
January 21, 2024: $0.68
July 9, 2023: $0.66
January 22, 2023: $0.63
July 10, 2022: $0.60
August 29, 2021: $0.58
January 24, 2021: $0.55
January 26, 2020: $0.55
January 27, 2019: $0.55
January 21, 2018: $0.50
January 22, 2017: $0.49
April 10, 2016: $0.47
January 26, 2014: $0.49
January 27, 2013: $0.46
January 22, 2012: $0.45
May 11, 2009: $0.44
May 12, 2008: $0.42
April 12, 2007: $0.41
Source: https://foreverstampprice.com/
As the name suggests, Forever stamps can be used at any time after purchase, regardless of whether the postage rate goes up in the future. So if you stock up on Forever stamps at the current price before the July increase, the stamps will still be good after this new and any future price increases.
New Prices for July 2024):
Letters (1 oz.) 68 cents (Current Price) 73 cents (Planned Price)
Letters (metered 1 oz.) 64 cents (Current Price) 69 cents (Planned Price)
Domestic Postcards 53 cents (Current Price) 56 cents (Planned Price)
International Postcards $1.55 (Current Price) $1.65 (Planned Price)
International Letter (1 oz.) $1.55 (Current Price) $1.65 (Planned Price)
The additional-ounce price for single-piece letters increases from 24 cents to 28 cents. The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for Special Services products, including Certified Mail and money order fees.
Wyoming joins 21-State coalition in lawsuit in defending Second Amendment rights from Federal overreach (posted 5/6/2024)
Infringing on Americans’ Second Amendment right to privately buy and sell firearms
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon media release
CHEYENNE, WYOMING – The State of Wyoming joined 20 other states in a lawsuit arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is overstepping its authority and infringing on Americans’ Second Amendment right to privately buy and sell firearms.
In the lawsuit, the coalition of states argue that the ATF’s regulatory restrictions exceed the authority granted to the agency by Congress and are a violation of the Second Amendment.
"Yet again this administration has demonstrated its contempt for the Constitution and the separation of powers," Governor Gordon said.
According to the complaint, "The right to keep and bear arms is central to our country's history and traditions, so Congress must be careful when addressing that right through federal legislation." Under the final rule, the defendants "would put innocent firearms sales between law-abiding friends and family members within the reach of federal regulation," the complaint continues.
"The Biden Administration is attempting to treat every legal gun owner as a commercial gun dealer, and every gun sale or trade as a commercial transaction," Governor Gordon noted. "The Biden administration is exceeding its authority and targeting our Second Amendment rights without going through Congress.
In December, Wyoming joined 25 other states in signing comment letter opposing the new rule. The states have asked the Court to vacate the rule as contrary to law. A copy of the filing may be found here.
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States joining in the lawsuit filing: Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, and four other plaintiffs.
PureWest Energy donates $200,000+ to Sublette County Health Foundation towards CAH (posted 4/18/2024)
Sublette County Health Foundation media release
In an effort to address the urgent healthcare needs of Sublette County, Wyoming, PureWest Energy, in partnership with the PureWest leadership team, announced a donation of more than $200,000 towards the construction of the planned medical facility in Pinedale to provide efficient, high-quality and patient-centered care.
Sublette County is currently the only county in Wyoming without a hospital. With the nearest facility more than 80 miles away, the community often faces challenges accessing essential care – challenges that are exacerbated during times of emergency. In 2020, the community voted to approve the formation of the Sublette County Hospital District. With construction already underway, the hospital is expected to open in March 2025; however, additional financing is required to improve emergency room equipment and ensure the community is able to benefit from comprehensive health services at the medical center.
To help Sublette County build a better future and because this is where so many of us call home, PureWest and its leadership team have donated more than $200,000 towards the buildout of this much needed hospital. This collective effort underscores a shared commitment to the well-being and betterment of the community.
"We are honored to be able to support the communities where we live and work. This donation represents PureWest’s unwavering commitment to Sublette County and the importance of comprehensive access to quality healthcare," said Kelly Bott, SVP, Corporate Affairs of PureWest. "Safety is nonnegotiable at PureWest, and the construction of this facility provides essential services – not just for our employees, but for entire community."
The Sublette County Health Foundation will serve a wide variety of needs, including providing blood transfusions, nursing services, memory care units, mental health support for those in crisis, and dietary and maintenance facilities. "The establishment of the hospital will be transformative for the community, providing essential healthcare services and saving the lives of residents," explained Sid Stanfill, Board Chair of the SC Health Foundation. "PureWest Energy’s generous donation is truly commendable and highlights their continued dedication to the well-being of our community. Together, we are building a better future for Sublette County."
This donation will provide timely access to lifesaving healthcare services for residents, reduce the burden on families who currently have had to travel long distances for medical care, and ensure that senior citizens are able to continue living within their community.
To learn more about the Sublette County Health Foundation please visit www.sublettecountyhealthfoundation.org.
About PureWest
PureWest Energy, LLC is a private energy company focused on developing its long-life gas reserves in Wyoming’s Green River Basin where the Company operates more than 108,000 net acres in and around the prolific Pinedale Field. For more information about PureWest, which was recently honored with the "Best Place to Work" distinction by the Denver Business Journal, please visit https://purewest.com/about-us/.
Rocky Mountain Power requests rate increase for Wyoming customers (posted 4/17/2024)
Rocky Mountain Power media release
Rocky Mountain Power’s costs for fuel and purchased power increased in 2023, because of higher wholesale market prices and coal supply disruptions, which made purchasing power to serve its customers more expensive. As part of an annual review of these costs, the company requested an average 12.3% price increase for Wyoming customers. A typical residential customer using 700 kilowatt-hours per month would see a 9.3% increase, or $12 per month on their electricity bill. The increase will take effect July 1, 2024, subject to review and approval by the Wyoming Public Service Commission.
"We recognize that in difficult economic conditions, a price increase is not good news," said Joelle Steward, Rocky Mountain Power senior vice president for regulation and customer and community solutions. "Despite these difficulties, we remain committed to bringing the best value to our customers for their hard-earned dollars. We’ve worked diligently to control the costs we can control. We are strict with our budgets and continue our work to steadily improve our system to enhance reliability for our 144,511 customers in Wyoming."
"The company is working hard to maintain our position as a low-cost energy provider," Steward added. "The annual adjustment process makes sure Rocky Mountain Power customers always pay a fair price for the energy they need."
The most significant driver in this year’s energy cost adjustment involves coal supply and inventory restrictions that began in late 2022 and continued into 2023. Historically low coal inventories, prompted many utilities, including Rocky Mountain Power, to increase natural gas generation and purchase more wholesale electricity while restocking depleted coal inventories. In many coal basins nationally, coal pricing more than doubled in 2022 and remained high into 2023. This effect on coal pricing was made worse by the war in Ukraine, when many U.S. mines, including mines in Utah and Colorado, rushed to take advantage of high coal prices by exporting coal to Europe.
"Due to overall lower coal resource output, the company had to adjust its overall system operations through increased natural gas power plant output, reduced market sales and increased market purchases," said Jack Painter, net power cost specialist for the utility. "In 2023, all of PacifiCorp’s Utah coal suppliers and one major Wyoming coal supplier made emergency contract declarations that resulted in significant delivery shortfalls of PacifiCorp’s contracted coal supply. Consequently, the Utah coal mines experienced a 35% decrease in coal production."
These challenges included a coal mine fire that occurred at American Consolidated Natural Resources’ Lila Canyon mine in central Utah. The mine had produced more than 25% of Utah’s coal production in recent years. The mine first stopped production in September 2022 and the owners announced the permanent closure of the Lila Canyon mine in November 2023 after determining that it was not possible to safely remediate and operate the mine. In response, the company explored the purchase of reasonably priced coal from a variety of other sources, as well as using surplus coal reserves held by the company.
The annual energy cost adjustment mechanism is designed to track the difference between the company’s actual expenses for fuel and electricity purchased from the wholesale market, against the amount being collected from customers through current rates. Pending commission approval, the changes would take effect July 1, 2024.
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