Political Change Powers Up Wyoming’s Wind Industry

The future for Wyoming’s wind industry is finally looking up. There are few places in the country with more wind energy potential than Wyoming, but the state has seen almost no new wind turbines built in six years, even while wind has boomed in the rest of the country. Depending on who you ask, the challenges have been political, technical or both. But now, the outlook is improving on all fronts.

No Fines, No Follow-Up After Massive Explosion At Wyoming Natural Gas Plant

In 2014, a massive explosion tore through the Williams natural gas processing plant in Opal. It forced the evacuation of the southwestern Wyoming town and caused a spike in the price of natural gas. Wyoming’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an investigation in the aftermath and found a number of safety violations. But the agency never collected the corresponding fines and never released a final report about the investigation.