Around the 307
News, commentary, and other items of interest from the greater Wyoming landscape.
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Here are a few Wyoming news items of interest from the week of January 12th, 2025:
On Monday, January 13th, Cowboy State Daily published this article about an innovative Wyoming plan that would enable state coal mines to accept wind turbine blades for disposal. First proposed by Wyoming in 2021, the Federal Government finally gave a thumbs up to the plan earlier this month (after an inexplicable 4-year delay). Disposal of wind turbine blades, which have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years, is becoming an ever-increasing problem across the country. The average land-based turbine blade is upwards of 165 feet in length and recyclers can only process about 3,000 blades a year according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Considering there are nearly 80,000 decommissioned blades already lying around with another 20,000 added to that number by 2040—figuring out where to dispose of them is a growing challenge. Wyoming’s plan to place turbine blades in coal mines as part of a site reclamation process equates to fewer wind blade landfills across the state. In addition, Wyoming coal companies would be able to charge for providing the disposal space, providing a new revenue stream for the industry while at the same time helping solve a nationwide issue. I think that’s pretty nifty.
In nearby regional news from Red Lodge Montana, on Thursday, January 16th, the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary’s (YWS) beloved 24-year old resident bison named Speedy was found dead in her enclosure. Speedy was the matriarch of YWS residents and an ambassador for her species. Born on a Montana bison ranch, Speedy was the smaller of twin calves. As happens in nature, Speedy’s mom prioritized the care of the larger calf and rejected her. Fortunately, the ranch family stepped in and took on the task of caring for Speedy treating her like a family pet. She enjoyed car rides, strutting her stuff in parades, and participating in local events. Eventually Speedy just got too darn big to care for and that’s when she arrived at YWS. For over two decades as one of the most popular YWS residents Speedy gave visitors the opportunity to learn about bison in an up-close and personal fashion. Read more about Speedy in this story published in The Carbon County News. Rest in peace sweet girl.
Friday, January 17th wrapped up the first week of the 68th Wyoming Legislature’s 2025 General Session at the State Capital in Cheyenne. During this time lawmakers from around the state will debate hundreds of bills to include election registration rules, property taxes, education reforms, the budget, social issues, and more. Read a summary here from the Wyoming Livestock Roundup on the week’s events along with a look at some of the bills being considered this session. You can also track all of the 2025 session bills by visiting this page on the State of Wyoming 68th Legislature website. You can also watch committee and floor proceedings on the Wyoming Legislature YouTube channel.
That’s all for today buckaroos! Thanks for reading and have a great week!
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