Environment

Wyoming's SJ 9 is a joint resolution urging Congress to protect the state's access to federal public lands while ensuring local communities have a say in land management decisions. It opposes broad or indiscriminate sales of public lands and demands federal agencies respect Wyoming's existing land-use plans, county-level input, and multiple-use frameworks that support recreation, agriculture, hunting, fishing, and resource development. The resolution also calls for funding to streamline efficient land exchanges under current laws when they benefit local communities and public access, without advocating for specific policy changes.

Wyoming's SF 123 creates the Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund, administered by the Wyoming Energy Authority, to support the state's traditional energy industries. The fund receives a portion of severance tax revenues (50% for fiscal years 2027-2028, then 50% for 2029 onward) that would otherwise go to the permanent mineral trust fund or school accounts. It provides grants and loans for projects like coal innovation, natural gas, uranium processing, and pipeline infrastructure - requiring a 1:1 match from non-state funds - but explicitly excludes wind and solar energy projects. The fund aims to bolster Wyoming's energy sector, which supports over 60,000 jobs and generates significant state revenue.

Wyoming's HB 128 provides a 5-year severance tax exemption for oil and gas operators using certified advanced extraction methods (tertiary production) between July 2026 and July 2031. It directly affects oil and gas producers who implement qualifying projects approved by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after July 1, 2026. The bill requires annual reports by the Commission and Department detailing production volumes, qualifying operators, wells, and the tax savings from the exemption. This exemption applies specifically to severance taxes under Wyoming law, with reports due each November 1 from 2026 through 2036.

Wyoming's SJ 1 is a joint resolution requesting Congress to amend the federal Mineral Leasing Act. It seeks to authorize the state to manage mineral leasing (including oil, gas, and coal) on federal lands within Wyoming, currently overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The resolution cites declining federal lease sales in Wyoming (e.g., from 122 parcels in 2022 to 8 in 2024) and lengthy regulatory delays as reasons for seeking state control. Wyoming argues this aligns with the 10th Amendment, giving states greater authority over natural resources within their borders. This is a request for federal legislative action, not an enacted law.

This bill requires all pesticide labels sold in Wyoming to match the health and safety warnings registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), eliminating state-specific variations. It directly affects pesticide sellers and distributors in Wyoming by mandating uniform labeling aligned with federal standards. Key provisions include overriding previous local labeling requirements and ensuring labels don’t differ in material ways from EPA-registered versions. The law does not change Wyoming’s authority to regulate pesticide use, distribution, or sale under existing statutes, and takes effect July 1, 2026.