Wyoming

06-05-2007 -- Rudy Giuliani made the following statement today regarding the passing of Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas:

"The people of Wyoming and the country have lost a distinguished Senator. My wife Judith and I have Senator Thomas' family and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

Source: Rudy Giuliani campaign

June 05, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today issued the following statement on the passing of Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY):

“I join the people of Wyoming in mourning the loss of a great public servant in Craig Thomas.

“Craig was a clear voice for conservation, fiscal conservatism, and states’ rights. I was proud to be a friend of his.

“Cindy and I send our thoughts and prayers to Craig’s wife, Susan, and the entire Thomas family during this trying time.”

Source: John McCain campaign

Jun. 05, 2007 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry today issued notification that pursuant to federal law provisions, flags should be flown at half-staff at state buildings in memory of United States Senator Craig Thomas of Wyoming, who died Monday.

“Anita and I send our deepest condolences and prayers to the family of Senator Craig Thomas during this time of great loss,” Perry said.    » read more »

May 30, 2007 -- CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A substantial new transmission line project that will carry Wyoming power to markets in Utah, Idaho, Oregon and the desert southwest is a major breakthrough for the state’s energy industry, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal said.

Today Rocky Mountain Power announced a $4 billion investment plan to build more than 1,200 miles of new 500-kilovolt transmission lines that will originate in Wyoming and connect to other western states. The project’s two main lines are set for completion in 2014.    » read more »

April 30, 2007 -- CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Expressing his concern that an initial exploratory drilling project in the Wyoming Range could be the “first domino” toward industrialization of the national forest, today Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal again relayed his opposition to full-scale natural gas development in the western Wyoming mountain range.    » read more »

February 27, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Western Governors Association today approved a resolution offered by Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal seeking greater protection of wildlife migration corridors and crucial wildlife habitat in the West as oil and natural gas development accelerates.

“Wyoming welcomes the opportunity to help meet the nation’s energy needs, but we must continue to balance development with environmental and wildlife protections,” Freudenthal said. “This resolution is a first step in pursuing changes at the congressional level and insisting on active and effective collaboration between the states and federal land managers.”

Freudenthal, the vice chairman of the WGA and chairman of the WGA Resolutions Committee, offered the resolution during a business meeting of the association in Washington, D.C. The resolution offers short- and long-term approaches to addressing the impacts of energy development on wildlife.    » read more »

February 1, 2007 -- Cheyenne, Wyo. -- Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal expressed disappointment that Montana filed suit today against Wyoming over the apportionment of water in the Tongue and Powder River drainages.

“Since territorial times, Wyoming and Montana have shared the waters in the Tongue and Powder Rivers. Since 1950, the apportionment of these waters has been controlled by the Yellowstone River Compact which Wyoming has strictly honored,” Freudenthal said. “Prior to 2004, Wyoming and Montana agreed on how the compact operated. Since 2004, Montana has been agitating for a fight. I guess they finally threw the first punch. I am confidant that Wyoming will prevail on this claim, but I am disappointed that Wyoming will be forced to expend millions of dollars to defend a claim that has no merit. These lawsuits drag out for years and consume vast resources and rarely result in any significant shift of water rights.”    » read more »

January 29, 2007 -- Cheyenne, Wyo. -- Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal offered the following statement in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's announcement today that it plans to remove wolves from federal protection in the northern Rockies:

“Regarding the Fish and Wildlife Service’s hopes to reach some agreement with Wyoming to alter our existing plan, I remain concerned about the amount of private land that would be included in the proposed trophy game area, as well as the definition and number of wolves that would compose a breeding pair. The ultimate question, though, is whether or not Wyoming will be given the flexibility to manage wolves that are causing an unacceptable impact on our elk and moose populations.

“I am delighted by the potential for progress in Montana and Idaho, although it seems to be of limited value for wildlife. I am also pleased that Fish and Wildlife believes the populations in Idaho, Montana and Yellowstone National Park are sufficient for delisting without the other Wyoming packs. This raises the interesting question of whether any packs outside Yellowstone in Wyoming are even necessary.”

Source: Wyoming Governor's Office

January 25, 2007 -- Cheyenne, Wyo. - Diversification of Wyoming’s economy, enhancement of energy research and attracting top-flight scientists and faculty to the University of Wyoming are among the benefits from a planned supercomputer center in southeast Wyoming, Governor Dave Freudenthal and UW President Tom Buchanan said Thursday.

Establishment of the $60 million data facility by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) west of Cheyenne is pending approval by the National Science Foundation and the Wyoming Legislature. The data center would solidify the state’s long-term commitment toward innovative ideas, new products and new companies.

“This is a great day for Wyoming. This is exactly the type of economic development that will allow Wyoming to build our intellectual capital and become a world-class player in the high-tech arena,” Freudenthal said. “Wyoming will become a magnet for researchers, professors, students and entrepreneurs who rely on and can benefit from access to one of the world’s most powerful computers.”    » read more »

January 10, 2007 -- Thank you. Thank you. Please be seated.

Told me right off I'm supposed to check the microphone, but I see that Senator Larson is in the front of the room so he has to stay awake today.

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, fellow elected officials and members of the 59th Legislature, members of the judiciary and, most of all, the citizens of Wyoming, greetings, and I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you today.    » read more »

Wyoming Governor Seeks Explanation For Gas Price Differences

September 20, 2006 -- CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is seeking answers as to why gas prices in Wyoming and neighboring states remain high even as prices continue to drop across the country.

In a letter sent to regional refineries Wednesday, Freudenthal followed up on recent conversations between his office and the refineries that sought to explain the gas price differences between the Rocky Mountain states and much of the rest of the United States.    » read more »

Wyoming Regaining Brucellosis-Free Status

September 12, 2006 -- CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Wyoming’s brucellosis-free status was restored Tuesday, loosening restrictions placed on Wyoming producers by the federal government and following 18 months of work by a statewide task force.

An interim rule upgrading Wyoming’s status was made effective by the US Department of Agriculture Tuesday and will become official when it is published in the Federal Register, which should take place within the next several days. It will then go out for public comment. Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who appointed most of the Wyoming Brucellosis Coordination Team membership in early 2004, said he was delighted by the USDA action and looks forward to the rule’s publication.    » read more »

Wyoming Governor Declares State Of Emergency For Casper, Natrona County

August 15, 2006 -- CHEYENNE, Wyo. - As a wildfire on Casper Mountain continues to threaten homes and other property in Natrona County, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal has declared a state of emergency for the area.

The wildfire began Sunday morning. As of Tuesday afternoon, it had destroyed about 5,000 woodland acres, one residence, one outbuilding and one vehicle, with the potential to threaten about 300 more residences. Homes in the immediate area are under a mandatory evacuation. Natrona County officials estimate about $600 million in damage to real property and woodland. No portion of the fire has yet been contained.    » read more »

Wyoming Governor: Transmission And Wind Power Must Develop Together

July 18, 2006 -- CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Gov. Dave Freudenthal urged stakeholders at an energy conference in Denver Monday to keep transmission and wind power development linked as they move from policy decisions to on-the-ground action.

Freudenthal delivered the keynote address at a leadership forum co-sponsored by the National Wind Coordinating Committee. Wind power and electrical transmission were the focus of the conference; Freudenthal noted that it is important for Western states to recognize that the two go together.    » read more »

Governors Adopt Energy Resolution, Urge FERC Cooperation

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Observing that common interests exist between them, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal and other Western governors Sunday urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to work with them in meeting the United States’ energy needs now and into the future.    » read more »