CASPER, Wyo. — Toward the end of their Tuesday, Feb. 25 work session, the Casper City Council discussed what is happening in the Wyoming Legislature during their budget session in Cheyenne.
One of the topics the city council discussed were legislative proposals to ban the disposal of wind turbine blades in Wyoming landfills, though a separate bill would allow their disposal in abandoned coal mines.
The Casper Regional Landfill has been accepting the fiberglass wind turbine blades for disposal, generating significant revenue from the disposal fees.
Councilman Charlie Powell said he was trying to make sense of why exactly some in the legislature were calling for the ban.
“It sounds like, by us disposing of these [they think] we are somehow making it more possible for wind energy to get a foothold and therefore [are] attacking the coal industry,” he said “Is that kind of the reasoning?”
Councilman Bob Hopkins said: “That’s the way I read it too.”
With some Natrona County senators and representatives sponsoring some of the proposed legislation, Councilman Ray Pacheco questioned their motives, referring specifically to Senate District 28 Senator Jim Anderson.
“Does Sen. Anderson understand that it does bring revenue to the City of Casper, his hometown?” Pacheco asked. “I think what is happening is many, multiple senators and house members making political statements is all this legislature has turned into.”
“Instead of making pragmatic choices for the budget that needs to be made…in order for people to be able to function. They are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. And that is affecting the City of Casper and that makes me upset as a council member. It is hurting our city.”
Councilman Mike Huber expressed a similar perspective.
“I just thought well, this is someone looking in the rearview mirror thinking that ‘evil’ wind electricity is going to take over that ‘good’ coal electricity,” he said. “To me, it is just absurd. This is someone frankly looking in the rearview mirror rather than looking forward.”
City Manager Carter Napier said that rates for citizens at the Casper Regional Landfill are able to stay low due to large companies paying rates at the landfill.
“It helps keep local rates low,” he said. “That should be our mission…keep the rates for our citizens low.”
Pacheco asked that when Napier and other city representatives visit the Capitol in Cheyenne, they attempt to have a discussion on the proposed legislation with Natrona County’s Wyoming legislators.
“Hopefully common sense will prevail,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Oil City News. Used with permission.