House panel bars filmmaker from Wyo. pollution hearing

The House Science subcommittee hearing on water contamination in Pavillion, Wyo., took an unusual turn Wed. morning when filmmaker and drilling opponent Josh Fox was handcuffed and led away by Capitol Police... Read the full article...
A mom-and-pop oil company prospects for gas in central Wyoming

John Wold is one of Wyoming's most notorious wildcatters. At the age of 95, he still enjoys the thrill and challenge of making new oil and gas discoveries... Read the full article...
EPA moving in on state regulation of drilling

Several ongoing investigations conducted by EPA are generating friction between the agency and state officials across the country over the management of oil and gas drilling, and hydraulic fracturing in particular... Read the full article...
State warms to call for bigger OSHA role in stemming workplace fatalities

After resisting more workplace inspections and increased enforcement of safety regulations, some state officials are now considering a bigger role for the Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration in addressing the state’s high workplace fatality rate... Read the full article...
Wyoming Billionaire Backs Santorum

Friess has made national headlines in recent weeks thanks to his contributions to a super PAC that supports Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum. Friess is the main benefactor of the Red White and Blue Fund, which spent $537,000 on ads to help Santorum win the Iowa caucuses... Read the full article...
Wyoming cautiously reviews insurance exchanges

There are approximately 83,000 uninsured people in Wyoming — a situation that puts families at risk of illness, bankruptcy and death — and an insurance exchange could make insurance more affordable for both small employers and their workers... Read the full article...

Columns/Blogs

BLM sets meetings for Gateway West sage grouse analysis

by Dustin Bleizeffer February 1, 2012

BLM sets meetings for Gateway West sage grouse analysis
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning two informational meetings in February to present information and answer questions about the sage …

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BLM posts lease parcels for oil and gas sale

by Dustin Bleizeffer February 1, 2012

BLM posts lease parcels for oil and gas sale
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming State Office has posted its proposed list of parcels to offer up to oil and …

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Winter in the Tropics

by The Sage Grouse January 31, 2012

The Sage Grouse unpacks a few photos from his recent trek to the Galapagos Islands, where it wasn’t just the tortoise, iguana and birds that left an impression.

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Gov. Mead to add to OSHA

by Dustin Bleizeffer January 24, 2012

Gov. Matt Mead announced today that he will shuffle vacant positions within state government, and possibly make new hires, to beef up resources at Wyoming Occupational Health and Administration (OSHA) …

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Georgia June

by The Sage Grouse January 24, 2012

Ladies and Germs, I have an announcement: The Sage Grouse is not always a grouch. Can you fathom the possibility that something could turn a Grouse into a warm mushy …

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Meetings set to discuss sage grouse conservation

by Dustin Bleizeffer January 20, 2012

Meetings set to discuss sage grouse conservation
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming, the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, and the Thunder Basin National Grassland will be holding a series of …

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Societal Meltdown

by The Sage Grouse January 17, 2012

Societal Meltdown
Remember the shockingly sudden loss of civility during the debate over reform of what everyone knows is a failed health care system; loud, rude shouting anti-government maniacs appeared at …

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Chuck Townsend

by The Sage Grouse January 10, 2012

Chuck Townsend was one of my favorite people. I thought about that a lot at his funeral on January 2. Chuck worked his ass off in the family businesses, devotedly …

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Follow state budget hearings via live streaming audio

by Dustin Bleizeffer January 4, 2012

Follow state budget hearings via live streaming audio
The Wyoming Legislature will provide live audio streaming of the 2013-2014 Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC) agency budget hearings beginning Monday January 9. The …

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Industry safety group seeks board candidates

by Dustin Bleizeffer January 4, 2012

Industry safety group seeks board candidates
The Wyoming Oil and Gas Industry Safety Alliance (WOGISA) has a board vacancy to fill. If you are interested in becoming a member of the …

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Mead sets seven town halls to solicit ideas on health care

by Dustin Bleizeffer January 4, 2012

Mead sets seven town halls to solicit ideas on health care
Gov. Matt Mead has set seven town hall meetings to solicit ideas from citizens on health care issues, including the …

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Huntsman-Barrasso 2012?

by The Sage Grouse January 3, 2012

The Sage Grouse revels in the time-honored tradition of speculating about the final GOP ticket.

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Boehner let the Tea Party bare its rear

by The Sage Grouse December 27, 2011

John Boehner, according to The Sage Grouse, has somehow saved face in the last-minute deal to get the extension, leaving folks like Eric Cantor baring their true intentions before a …

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WyoFile editor discusses fracking in radio interview

by Dustin Bleizeffer December 23, 2011

WyoFile editor discusses fracking in radio interview
My apologies for this late post of my December 13 radio interview on Canadian Public Broadcasting about hydraulic fracturing and the EPA investigation in …

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Newt Attacks the Courts

by The Sage Grouse December 20, 2011

The Sage Grouse reacts to recent comments by GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich about going after “activist judges.”

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The Problem With Elections is Re-Election

by The Sage Grouse December 13, 2011

The Sage Grouse contemplates how current term limits have fallen victim to extended campaign seasons, essentially neutering the opportunity for real policy work.

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Salazar wants Wyo-style sage grouse management across the West

by Dustin Bleizeffer December 9, 2011

Salazar wants Wyo-style sage grouse management across the West
At a press conference in Cheyenne today Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wyoming’s “core areas” sage grouse habitat management plan could be …

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Windsor drops bid for #26-2 well near Clark

by Dustin Bleizeffer December 8, 2011

Windsor drops bid for #26-2 well near Clark
This week Windsor Energy Group notified Shoshone National Forest and Wyoming Bureau of Land Management officials that it will not proceed with its …

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Abel lost long ago, Cain loses now

by The Sage Grouse December 6, 2011

Abel lost long ago, Cain loses now

Folks, we in Wyoming were maybe not that far from the Great Fall, the exit from the Garden of Eden, preceding or during the …

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Support WyoFile’s successful mission

by The Sage Grouse November 22, 2011

The Sage Grouse makes an important pitch to readers: consider supporting WyoFile and its mission of in-depth reporting on Wyoming’s people, places and policy.

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New rules for royalty-free gas flares up for comment

by Dustin Bleizeffer November 16, 2011

New rules for royalty-free gas flares up for comment
The Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments has issued its proposed policy changes regarding royalty-free flaring of natural gas. Written comments …

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BLM extends review/comment period for Lander area public lands plan

by Dustin Bleizeffer November 16, 2011

BLM extends review/comment period for Lander area public lands plan
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has extended the public review and comment period for the Lander Resource Management Plan (RMP) …

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Gaffes

by The Sage Grouse November 15, 2011

The Sage Grouse returns with a commentary on recent gaffes by those seeking to be the next President of the United States, and by our current president.

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Great new tool for access to state lands

by Dustin Bleizeffer November 14, 2011

Great new tool for access to state lands
The Office of State Lands and Investments just launched a great new online mapping application to navigate access to state lands, which are …

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Wyoming Public Media fall drive nets $290K

by Dustin Bleizeffer October 31, 2011

Wyoming Public Media fall drive nets $290K
Congratulations to Wyoming Public Media for reaching its goal of $290,000 during its recent fall membership drive. The drive ended Friday after 61 hours …

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Latest fracking news; cross-state injections and invasive mussels

by Dustin Bleizeffer October 28, 2011

Latest fracking news; cross-state injections and invasive mussels
There’s a lot to the business of shale oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing, and I just learned about a few more considerations being …

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Carbon Shock

by The Sage Grouse October 25, 2011

The Sage Grouse challenges readers to prove him wrong on what he surmises may be futile efforts to capture and sequester carbon dioxide.

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I’m With Stupid

by The Sage Grouse October 18, 2011

The GPS in my Mazda CX-9 shows a lot of roads and streets. In an urban setting, it probably works beautifully with the voice prompting feature. It ain’t so good …

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Civil Discourse

by The Sage Grouse October 11, 2011

What happens when persistent rain leaves two hunting buddies stranded inside with nothing to do but talk and drink? When one an oil and gas attorney and the other a …

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Spill at Wyoming uranium mine triggers NRC ‘special investigation’

by Dustin Bleizeffer October 5, 2011

Spill at Wyoming uranium mine triggers NRC ‘special investigation’
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission launched a “special investigation” today to determine if workers were exposed to “yellowcake” after an incident at …

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Local Control

by The Sage Grouse October 4, 2011

The authority of the federal government can be a pain sometimes, but it isn’t necessarily better when a school board, city or county is running the show…

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BugShot (part 2)

by The Sage Grouse September 27, 2011

After attending the BugShot workshop, your humble neophyte is working on photographs of insects and spiders at ranges of 1/2 to 2 inches…

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Let’s Not Kill All The Lawyers

by The Sage Grouse September 20, 2011

Lawyers are not generally held in high esteem these days. But in many instances they are heroes of personal rights and freedom — at least that’s what The Sage Grouse …

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Lawmakers gunning for K-12 “Energy Literacy” program

by Dustin Bleizeffer September 15, 2011

Lawmakers gunning for K-12 “Energy Literacy” program
As the nation’s largest producer of coal, and a workhorse supplier of natural gas, oil, uranium and wind energy, it makes sense that Wyoming’s …

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BugShot (part 1)

by The Sage Grouse September 13, 2011

I just spent three exhilarating days at the Shaw Nature Reserve near St. Louis, Missouri, the place where everyone who made the West into a European-culture dominated landscape started out. …

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A Real Wyoming Legend

by The Sage Grouse September 6, 2011

John Winchester lived in an isolated location near Buffalo, Wyoming. He either was a bachelor who hired females to keep house or was a serial consumer of mail-order brides, I …

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WyoFile hires development director, online content producer

by WyoFile August 30, 2011

WyoFile, Wyoming’s leading nonprofit news source, is hiring a development director and an online content producer as the growing service expands its in-depth coverage of Wyoming people, places and policy.

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History: Condemned Over and Over

by The Sage Grouse August 30, 2011

I heard in high school that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. I thought that this meant that if we did not study Greek …

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Mead seeks Preble’s mouse exemption for drillers

by Dustin Bleizeffer August 25, 2011

Mead seeks Preble’s mouse exemption for drillers
Wyoming’s oil and gas industry should be exempt from some restrictions imposed by a potential Endangered Species Act listing of the Preble’s meadow jumping …

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Chicken-Ducking Topics

by The Sage Grouse August 23, 2011

Alert readers have failed to note or comment that The Sage Grouse has not (perhaps for good reason) weighed in on the following controversial topics…

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UW professor nominated for (another) literary award

by WyoFile August 22, 2011

UW professor nominated for (another) literary award
The last time WyoFile checked in with Brad Watson, he had just been nominated for a PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. It seems the critics …

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Aliens and Cowboys

by The Sage Grouse August 16, 2011

We make up movies showing aliens as crafty, cunning or just plain brutal invaders, with plots always reaching a nasty, evidently inevitable, horrifying moment when all human life is about …

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Apps for Birding

by The Sage Grouse August 14, 2011

Apps for Birding
I have not tried some of these and do not offer opinions or ratings, but following is a partial list of applications of interest to birdwatchers.
The Sibley series …

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Judge Freudenthal rules in favor of categorical exclusions for oil and gas drilling

by Dustin Bleizeffer August 12, 2011

Judge Freudenthal rules in favor of categorical exclusions for oil and gas drilling
CHEYENNE — U.S. Federal Judge Nancy Freudenthal today struck down the Interior Department’s 2010 instructional guidance meant to …

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This May Be The Last Time

by The Sage Grouse August 2, 2011

The tea party folks are acting a bit like lemmings, friends. But, what’s a mere cliff in the course of life’s journeys?

The debt ceiling increase was predestined, even required, by …

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Lack of energy policy ‘delays’ Wyoming gasification project

by Dustin Bleizeffer July 29, 2011

Lack of energy policy ‘delays’ Wyoming gasification project
A partnership between GE Energy and the University of Wyoming to build a coal-gasification research center to ensure the future viability of Wyoming …

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Wyoming post offices studied for potential closure

by Ruffin Prevost July 26, 2011

Wyoming post offices studied for potential closure
Like so many things in Wyoming, delivering the mail tends to require more time, covering more miles, enduring more isolation and spending more money …

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Unsung Heroes of Compassion

by The Sage Grouse July 26, 2011

In the course of the flight she mentioned that there was only one surgeon in eastern Bhutan, Lotay Tshering, who was constantly on the road from village to village. …

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Flew the looking-glass

by The Sage Grouse July 22, 2011

Some websites have ideas on how to prevent birds striking your windows. I know there’s no perfect answer to this problem, and won’t pretend it is entirely preventable, but there …

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