DEQ to increase compliance checks of engines at oil and gas production sites

Beginning this spring, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Air Quality Division (AQD) will again be conducting increased compliance checks on engines at oil and gas production facilities across the state.

According to Steve Dietrich, AQD Administrator, the department has regular compliance and permitting requirements for these facilities, however these increased checks go above and beyond.

This rig was drilling for oil northeast of Edgerton in the Powder River Basin. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile — click to enlarge)

“These engines at the facilities already have state air permitting requirements and must meet federal standards when built,” said Dietrich. “However, these additional checks using a portable analyzer, test the operations of these engines in the real world environment, including the effects of weather conditions, elevation, and loading.”

Since 2011, DEQ has been conducting these additional checks statewide.

“These efforts have been well received by the industry and we have seen an increase in performance and compliance of the engines,” added Dietrich.

The next steps to further these efforts could include a more formal testing regime that follows U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference methods for recurring problem areas as well as development of training opportunities for operators.

UW’s Haub school lands new endowed faculty position for ‘conservation economics’

The University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources gained a new endowed faculty position; the Knobloch Excellence Chair for Conservation Economics and Finance.

The $2 million endowment will support a professor to teach undergraduate courses that examine economics and finance for conservation and to conduct scholarly work in this field. The position will be housed in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the Economics and Finance Department in the UW College of Business.

“We’re proud to support the Chair for Conservation Economics and Finance at the UW Haub School,” said Carl Knobloch, board president of the Knobloch Family Foundation. “This field of expertise will play a critical role in protecting the West’s open spaces and natural resources in the decades to come. And the university is the best place to foster education and research that will shape future leaders and decisions in this arena.”

The Knobloch Family Foundation supports protection of the natural world and critical ecosystems that are the foundation of economic activity. Several of its board members are Wyoming residents. The Haub School is also seeking private funds to support endowed chairs in Wildlife Habitat Management and Energy Development as well as in Natural Resource Law and Policy.

Indy Burke, Director, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

“The goal of hiring a professor in conservation finance is to bring sound economic analysis and accountability to the choices made by public and private conservation interests,” said Indy Burke, director of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. “A conservation finance professor will find cost-effective strategies to protect working landscapes in Wyoming and the West. The professor will work with people in the academy and on the ground responding to the pressure to stretch limited conservation funds for greater results.”

“The most important thing about this new position is the integration of economics/finance and ecology/biology,” said Jason Shogren, Chair of the Economics and Finance Department in the UW College of Business. “Rather than stove piping, this person will integrate across disciplines, so we can all do a better job.”

For more information about the Knobloch Excellence Chair in Conservation Economics and Finance or for how to contribute to additional endowed chair positions, please contact Emilene Ostlind, Communications Coordinator, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming at emilene@uwyo.edu or (307) 766-2604.

Joe McCarthy to go on “trial” April 7

Joe McCarthy and two other U.S. Senators will face charges in a mock trial in Cheyenne on April 7, 2013 

On April 7, three former members of the United States senate will go “on trial” in a mock trial in Cheyenne, Wyoming for their alleged roles in the 1954 suicide of a colleague. Senators Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin), Styles Bridges (R-New Hampshire) and Herman Welker (R-Idaho), all deceased, are “charged” with blackmailing Wyoming’s U.S. Senator Lester Hunt. Hunt died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on June 19, 1954.

The trial coincides with the release of the first book-length biography of Senator Hunt. Dying for the Sins of Joe McCarthy: The Suicide of Wyoming Senator Lester Hunt, was written by Rodger McDaniel and published by WordsWorth Publishing Co. of Cody.

Lester Hunt, a Democrat, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1948. He was twice elected governor and twice elected Secretary of State and served in the Wyoming legislature. As Secretary of State, Hunt designed the bucking horse license plate. As Governor he oversaw the Heart Mountain Interment Camp and dozens of programs assisting World War II efforts including the Selective Service. Hunt served in the United States Senate from 1948 until his death in 1954.

Former Senator Alan Simpson wrote the foreword for McDaniel’s book, saying, “When Lester Hunt arrived in Washington in 1949, he witnessed the rising tide of McCarthyism. His was one of the few early voices to call it for what it was.” Speaking of the events leading to Senator Hunt’s suicide Simpson wrote, “What was done to Lester Hunt passed all boundaries of decency and exposed an evil side of politics most would always seek to avoid.”

The trial opens at 1 PM on April 7^th at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Retired Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Michael Golden will preside. Former Governor and US Attorney Dave Freudenthal will prosecute. Defense counsel is Diane Lozano, director of the State’s Public Defender Office. A jury of local citizens will hear the case and render a historic verdict.

The public is invited to attend free of charge. McDaniel’s book will be available for sale.

Anne MacKinnon named Casper Woman of Distinction

Anne MacKinnon, Chair of WyoFile’s board of directors, was named Casper Woman of Distinction last Thursday afternoon. The event, in its 18th year, is sponsored by the American Association of University Women, the Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance, Casper Alumnae Panhellenic and Soroptimist International of Central Wyoming.

Anne MacKinnon, WyoFile board chair, was recently honored as Casper Woman of Distinction. (click to enlarge)

MacKinnon is a longtime journalist, starting at the Louisville Courier Journal then as an energy and business reporter for the Casper Star Tribune in 1979. She eventually served as editor-in-chief before leaving the paper. In addition to her work with WyoFile, MacKinnon teaches courses, writes about Wyoming water history, and organizes conferences on natural resource policy for the University of Wyoming, where she is an adjunct professor for the School of Environment and Natural Resources.

All of us at WyoFile extend our congratulations to Anne!

Click here to read more.

Feds host meeting Thursday to discuss Moneta Divide natural gas proposal

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is hosting a Cooperating Agency Meeting at the Wolcott Galleria in Casper, Wyo., on March 14 for the Moneta Divide Natural Gas and Oil Development Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The proponents, Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. and Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP, propose to develop approximately 4,250 natural gas and oil wells in the Moneta Divide Project area located in Fremont and Natrona counties. The project area encompasses approximately 265,000 acres of land, of which 169,500 acres are public lands administered by the BLM’s Lander and Casper Field Offices. The southern portion of a proposed gas/power corridor associated with the project is located on public lands in Sweetwater County which is administered by BLM’s Rawlins Field Office. The balance of the development project area consists of state and private lands. In addition, BLM’s authorization of this proposed project may require an amendment to the 2007 Casper Resource Management Plan.

This is the first cooperating agency meeting for the Moneta Divide Project. The project proponents will describe the proposed plan of development and answer the cooperating agencies’ questions. While these meetings are for cooperating agencies, the meeting is open to the general public. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting and listen to the discussion from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Additional information about the project can be found on the project website. For more information, please contact BLM Project Manager, Chris Krassin, at 307-332-8400.

Gov. to sign disability awareness proclamation; Attend STEM groundbreaking

Governor Mead’s Public Schedule, March 4-10, 2013

Unless otherwise noted, events on this schedule are open to the public and the media is welcome to attend.  All times are Mountain Standard Time. Any special requirements for attendance are noted with the event. 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

11:00AM-12:00PM – Governor and First Lady attend Memorial Service for Holly Farfour, FE Warren Air Force Base

1:45-2:15PM – Governor and First Lady read at STRIDE’s “Everybody Reads Month,” STRIDE Learning Center, Cheyenne

3:00-3:15PM – Governor signs Disability Awareness Month proclamation, Governor’s Formal Office

Thursday, March 7, 2013

10:00-10:30AM – Governor holds monthly news conference. Governor’s Formal Office

Friday, March 8, 2013

11:45AM-1:00PM – Governor attends University of Wyoming Board of Trustees lunch. UW Coe Library, Laramie

1:30-1:50PM – Governor attends the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility at the University of Wyoming . UW Campus

3:15-4:15PM – Governor meets with Fremont County Commissioners. Riverton Library

 4:30-5:00PM – Governor and First Lady attend the Community Entry Services Center dedication. 2240 Peck Avenue, Riverton

Saturday, March 9, 2013

10:30-11:30AM – Governor meets with local officials. First Lady hosts a Books and Brownies Event, Cokeville Library and Cokeville Town Hall

2:30-3:30PM – Governor meets with local officials. First Lady reads at Story Time event, Rock Springs Library

Community scrambled to save Wyoming Regional Science Bowl

Wyoming Regional Science Bowl Champions Kelly Walsh Team 1: Alan Hatlestad, Ian Moffett, Gabe Miller, Zack Fullerton, and Alex Olson. Not pictured is their coach, Mark Hileman, a science teacher at Kelly Walsh High School. (Doug Tunison/WyoFile — click to view)

On Saturday, February 23, Kelly Walsh High School Team 1 of Casper won first place at the Wyoming Regional Science Bowl. The competition took place at Frontier Middle School in Casper. Kelly Walsh High School Team 1 was among 13 teams from seven high schools around Wyoming.

Science Bowl is a fast-paced, question-and-answer contest in which students answer questions about math, earth, physical, life, and general sciences. Each team is made up of four students, a student alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. Kelly Walsh Team 1 is made up of Coach Mark Hileman, Alan Hatlestad, Ian Moffett, Gabe Miller, Zack Fullerton, and Alex Olson. The team advances to compete in the National Science Bowl in Washington DC, April 25–29.

Collaboration, knowledge and team building were all essential parts of a science bowl strategy. (Doug Tunison/WyoFile — click to view)

The event, held every year in Wyoming since 1999, almost died. Until this year, the event was hosted by the local office of The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), RMOTC. Because they are preparing to close the Casper office, DOE decided that they could no longer host the Wyoming Science Bowl.

Dismayed that this event might soon die, Casper high school teachers Mark Hileman and George Vlastos, a teacher at Star Lane Center in Casper, decided they would try to resurrect the event. Hileman observed that “American innovation is hatched in the minds of the youth. It is their creativity that fosters the newest and greatest of ideas. The Science Bowl and other school academic competitions that demonstrate student knowledge in math, science, history, debate and other areas are the best way for students to express their strengths that traditional academic assessments can never show.”

The competition, which takes place in February, usually takes four to six months to organize. By the time everyone was aware that DOE was not hosting the event this year, there was only two months left to come up with a plan. The original scheme was to put the science bowl on life support by hosting an informal event this year and planning for next year.

Participants enjoy the two minute break between their eight minute rounds during the 2013 WYRSB competition. (Doug Tunison/WyoFile — click to view)

The scale and scope of this year’s event grew quickly as planning progressed. The regional event must be sanctioned by the National Science Bowl to make the winning team eligible to compete in the national event. That requires at least six high schools to compete locally.

To meet the growing workload we — Doug Tunison, former RMOTC employee, and Anne Theriault, an employee of a contractor to RMOTC, and an experienced science bowler — decided to pitch in and find new funding. To get the funding, and improve the sustainability of the Wyoming Science Bowl, we incorporated Wyoming Regional Science Bowl as a non-profit organization with a mission to facilitate the Wyoming Regional Science Bowl and other science education activities.

The reasons for continuing Science Bowl through the formation of a non-profit are best expressed by the students participating in this year’s event.

“Science Bowl and competitions like it are important. They give kids a reason to learn more about science, get excited about it, to do it. Why should kids be interested in science? Because science is what drives the world,” said Ian Moffett, of Kelly Walsh Team 1.

Young minds hard at work, Kelly Walsh Team 1 making their way to the finals. (Doug Tunison/WyoFile — click to view)

Gabe Miller, also a member of Kelly Walsh Team 1 said “the Science Bowl is an exciting way to both learn and competitively share what you already know…. It’s a great opportunity for kids to actually apply what they learn, and it’s fun to boot.”

Several Star Lane students, including Kaylee Dunihoo and Breann Nelson, said that the competition is important because it builds confidence in kids. Abbie Schaible said it made her feel smart.

Hunter Hout, also of Star Lane, echoing Gabe Miller, summarizes why students like to participate in science bowl. “Honestly,” she said, “it’s just fun and it feels good to support your school.”

Through the generosity of many local businesses and individuals, including the donation of the buzzer systems and other tournament hardware from RMOTC, funds were raised and volunteers identified to officiate the event.

Alicia Rafuse, moderator, Scott Martin, time keeper, and Rob Pettigrew, scorekeeper, command a round robin match. (Doug Tunison/WyoFile — click to view)

The U.S. Department of Energy pays for the winning team’s trip to compete at Nationals but funds are required to host the regional event. The sponsors help pay for cash awards and trophies for the winning schools, t-shirts and food for the students and volunteers, and other expenses related to organizing and holding the event.

Final Results of the regional competition:

• 1st Place—Kelly Walsh High School Team 1 (Casper, WY)
• 2nd Place—Campbell County High School Team 2 (Gillette, WY)
• 3rd Place—Kelly Walsh High School Team 2 (Casper, WY)
• Civility Award—Star Lane Center Team 1 (Casper, WY)

Participating schools in the tournament this year were:

• Big Horn High School (Sheridan, WY)
• Campbell County High School (Gillette, WY)
• Douglas High School (Douglas, WY)
• Kelly Walsh High School (Casper, WY)
• Star Lane Center (Casper, WY)
• Torrington High School (Torrington, WY)
• Worland High School (Worland, WY)

Next year, organizers of the Wyoming Regional Science Bowl hope to expand the number of schools participating in the high school competition and begin hosting a similar competition for Wyoming middle schools. More photos of this year’s event are available here.

For more information:

• Anne Theriault, Wyoming Regional Science Bowl Coordinator, anne@dtunisonllc.com, 307.233.4938
• More science bowl information available at DTunisonLLC.com
• Wyoming Regional Science Bowl on Facebook
• National Science Bowl

UW names finalists in presidential search

BLM Lander Resource Management Plan to address Sage Grouse habitat

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the Lander Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The proposed plan is based on the preferred alternative from the Lander Draft RMP released last year, and incorporates comments made by the public, the State of Wyoming, and other agencies and organizations.

Issues raised by commenters included recreation, areas of critical environmental concern, livestock grazing, energy development and management of national trails.

In addition to the concerns above, the proposed Lander RMP will address conservation of Greater Sage-grouse habitat, according to BLM Wyoming State Director Don Simpson, by incorporating the state of Wyoming’s Greater Sage-Grouse conservation measures.

The document is available on the Lander RMP webpage. Hard copies are available for review at public libraries throughout Fremont County and at the Lander Field Office as well as at the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Business Councils in Fort Washakie.

Only those persons or organizations who participated in the planning process leading to the proposed RMP may protest. The protest period runs from Feb. 22-March 25, 2013. Submit protest issues using the following methods:

• Regular mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 71383, Washington, D.C., 20024-1383
• Overnight mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 20 M Street SE, Room 2134LM, Washington, D.C., 20003

Additional information on the Lander Resource Management Plan Revision Project can be found here, or you may contact Yannone at 307-332-8400. Additional information on filing protests is contained in the Federal Register Notice, also available on the Lander RMP webpage.

Enzi says “sequestration is going to happen”

by Dustin Bleizeffer
— February 18, 2013

While on his public “listening” tour in Wyoming Monday, Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) told a small audience in Casper, “Sequestration is going to happen. The plans that are being offered won’t pass,” echoing comments made by his U.S. Senate colleague John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) on CNN Sunday.

Sen. Mike Enzi at the Petroleum Association of Wyoming’s annual meeting in Casper in 2012. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile — click to enlarge)

Enzi said because it was a “listening” event, he wasn’t there to go into great detail on any one issue, but he did underscore the GOP argument that the federal government should focus on spending reductions.

U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) made similar comments last week, suggesting that more than $1.2 trillion in automatic federal spending cuts will begin March 1, spread among defense and non-defense spending.

Enzi heard comments and questions from about a dozen citizens, and briefly offered his thoughts on issues ranging from gun control to energy and climate change.

In response to a question about his recent “no” vote on the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, Enzi said his opposition was not at the general goal of reducing violence against women, but at new language in the bill that would subject non-Native people to being tried in tribal courts for violent crimes.

(Click here for a perspective on this issue from Winona LaDuke, and click here for a recent New York Times article on the subject by Jonathan Weisman.)

Enzi described tribal jurisdiction language in the Violence Against Women Act re-authorization bill as a “poison pill.”

“We get bills with great titles and poison pills, and then no way to amend out the poison pills,” Enzi said.

On the renewed push to reduce gun violence, Enzi said Wyoming has a long-standing appreciation of guns. He said hunting isn’t the main reason for most gun ownership in Wyoming. Rather, people here in the Cowboy State enjoy target shooting. Enzi said he also worries that the term “assault weapon” is already too broadly applied to a variety of guns.

Responding to questions and concerns about energy policy, Enzi said there needs to be more permitting of oil, natural gas and coal on federal lands. As for climate change, Enzi said, “There’s $5 billion being spent to prove there is climate change, and $5 billion being spent to prove there isn’t. What do you suppose we could do if we took $10 billion to actually do something about it?”

Enzi said he wished there was more research money spent on developing cleaner coal technologies to aid with a shrinking coal market in the U.S., due to tightening environmental regulations.

“There is an effort in the U.S. to end the production of coal,” said Enzi.

— Contact Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile editor-in-chief, at (307) 577-6069 or dustin@wyofile.com. Follow Dustin on Twitter, @DBleizeffer

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Sen. Enzi schedules public ‘listening sessions’ in Wyoming

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) has scheduled several “listening sessions” across the state “to hear the ideas and solutions Wyoming residents have for solving America’s problems,” according to a press release.

Sen. Mike Enzi (Click to enlarge)

“These listening sessions are just what the name suggests. I’m not planning to give a long speech. I plan to address some of the issues brought up at the session as I can at the end, but this time is for residents to say what is on their mind, and for me to listen. I hope to hear common sense, realistic and workable solutions. These are typical in Wyoming, but harder to come by in Washington,” said Enzi.

A schedule of Enzi’s public listening sessions are as follows:

Sat. Feb. 16

— Gillette Listening Session: 10:00 am – 11:00 am, Gillette College Tech Center, 3251 So. 4J Rd.— Sheridan Listening Session: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Sheridan College Watt Agricultural Center, 3059 Coffeen Ave.

Mon. Feb. 18 

— Casper Listening Session: 9:00 am – 10:00 am, Natrona County Public Library, 307 E. 2^nd St.          

— Wheatland Listening Session: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm,  Wheatland Senior Center, 1605 16^th St.

Tues. Feb. 19 

— Cheyenne Listening Session: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, Laramie County Library (Cottonwood Room), 2200 Pioneer Ave.

Wed. Feb. 20

— Powell Listening Session: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, The Commons, 135 North Bent St.

— Thermopolis Listening Session: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, Days Inn, 115 East Park St.

Thurs. Feb. 21

— Riverton Listening Session: 10:00 am – 11:00 am, Fremont County Library (Community Room), 1330 W. Park Ave.        

— Rock Springs Listening Session:  4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, White Mountain Library,  2935 Sweetwater Drive

Friday Feb. 22

— Pinedale Listening Session: 9:00 am – 10:00 am,  Pinedale Library, 115 S. Tyler Ave.

— Jackson Listening Session: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Jackson Senior Center, 830 E. Hansen Ave. 

Dan Neal of the Equality State Policy Center wrote about a bill to restore voting rights to non-violent criminals:

Make it easier to restore voting rights

Bill cuts waiting period for ex-felons from 5 years to 1

Feb. 4 last day for Committee of Whole in house of origin

A bill easing restrictions on restoring voting rights to non-violent felons looks likely to be heard on the floor of Wyoming’s House of Representatives Monday.

The first floor debate in each house is called “Committee of the Whole.” If a bill is approved in Committee of the Whole, the Second and Third Reading will follow on three consecutive days. (A bill can be amended in each of these three debates.) Since we’re at the halfway point of the 40-day General Session, any House Bills or Senate Files that are not brought up Feb. 4 for the first of these three potential floor debates in their chamber of origin will die.

State Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R –HD43, Cheyenne, long has sought to make it easier for non-violent felons to become voters. Wyoming, he said, imposes the “third-worst” restrictions in the nation limiting restoration of voting rights for felons. Virginia and Kentucky prohibit restoration of voting rights after conviction for any felony.

Click here to see the entire post.

Have an opinion about a bill before the 2013 Wyoming Legislature? Contact us at editor@wyofile.com to submit your blog!

Wyoming school officials back off from blocking senior photo with gay pride flag

By Dustin Bleizeffer
— January 29, 2013

On Monday, January 28, WyoFile reported that Worland High School officials initially banned a senior photo of a student holding a gay pride flag from the school’s yearbook for fear that it was too political.

Worland High School senior Matt Jolley. School officials said the inclusion of the gay pride flag is too political for inclusion in the school’s yearbook unless Jolley buys an ad for its placement. On Tuesday, school officials reversed their stance on the issue and said the photo will be allowed in the yearbook, like any other senior photo. (Courtesy Matt Jolley — click to enlarge)

The student, Matt Jolley, 18, petitioned school officials to reverse that decision. On Tuesday, January 29, Washakie County School District No. 1 superintendent David Nicholas issued a press statement announcing that, after review, administrators decided to allow the photo’s inclusion in the yearbook after all.

In a written statement this morning, Nicholas told WyoFile, “The district has determined that the student request to have a gay pride flag in his/her senior picture will not disrupt school processes and will be allowed.  This decision was made after a review of policy and following consultation with legal counsel.”

He also launched a petition campaign on Change.org, an online petition platform, to try to persuade school officials to change their stance on the matter. Jolley met with Worland High School officials on Monday to discuss the matter.

Jolley said he came out on Facebook late last summer, even though he’d believed that most people already knew he was gay. “I was surprised most people didn’t know.” Jolley said he loves photography and plans to attend The Art Institute of Colorado beginning this summer.

— Dustin Bleizeffer is WyoFile editor-in-chief. You can reach him at dustin@wyofile.com, (307) 577-6069. Follow Dustin on Twitter, @DBleizeffer

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Wyoming senators reap largesse from biotechnology firm Amgen

By Rone Tempest
January 29, 2013

A California biotechnology company set to benefit by millions of dollars from a last-minute addition to the January 1 “Fiscal Cliff” bill is among the top campaign contributors to Wyoming U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso.

Both senators were among the 89-8 majority voting for the complex 154-page American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 bill that was presented to most members only three minutes before the formal vote. Enzi and Barrasso declined to respond to WyoFile questions about the controversial Section 632 in the bill that benefits Amgen Inc., the world’s largest biotech firm, and other makers of oral kidney dialysis medications.

Sen. John Barrasso (photo courtesy U.S. Senate – click to enlarge)

A spokesperson for the Thousand Oaks, Ca., based corporation told WyoFile “Amgen did not contact either Wyoming senator regarding the 632 provision.”

Federal election records show that since 2006, Amgen has contributed $44,500 to Enzi’s campaign fund and his Making Business Excel leadership PAC. Over the same period only two other corporations — Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Abbott Laboratories — gave more to Enzi, ranking Republican on the Senate Health, Education & Pensions Committee and a senior member of the Finance Committee.

Since June 2007 when he was appointed to office, Amgen has given Barrasso and his Common Values leadership PAC $30,000, federal records show.

A former Casper orthopedic surgeon who receives much of his campaign funding from health-related industries, Barrasso is scheduled to be the honoree at a $1,500-a-plate breakfast fundraiser in Washington on February 26 hosted by Amgen lobbyist Helen Rhee and Raissa Downs, founding partner in the Tarplin, Downs & Young lobby firm that works extensively for Amgen.

Downs was a staff advisor to Enzi in 2001-2002.

First detailed in a January 19 report by the New York Times, Section 632 grants a two year delay in putting Medicare price restraints on a class of oral End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) products, including Amgen’s lucrative pill, “Sensipar,” often prescribed to kidney dialysis patients.

Other companies that produce similar products also will benefit from the provision, notably Genzyme Corp., which markets Renagel, Shire PC and its drug Fosrenal, and Fresenius Medical Care AG, which markets PhosLo and Phoslyra. But the Times reported that Amgen was “the only company to argue aggressively for the delay,” which the newspaper projected would cost Medicare an additional $500 million over the two-year period.

Amgen Global Communication Director Kelley Davenport disputed the newspaper account, saying that the provision was the result of a “year-long discussion between the federal government and the nephrology [kidney specialty] community on this issue” and was supported by several government studies.

Sen. Mike Enzi (Click to enlarge)

“The New York Times article was misleading by concluding that the provision was a ‘gift’ to our company without understanding the complexities associated with Medicare dialysis care and the potential harm to patients if the provision had not been included,” Davenport said in an email exchange with WyoFile.

The Times traced the origins of the inserted Section 632 to the Senate Finance Committee: its Chairman, Montana Democrat Max Baucus, its ranking member, Utah Republican Orrin G. Hatch, and Amgen lobbyists formerly on the staffs of Baucus and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Baucus, Hatch and McConnell have all received sizeable political contributions from Amgen in recent years.

Enzi and Barrasso are also among a group of U.S. senators from both political parties who have been targeted by Amgen’s extensive lobbying efforts and who have received significant campaign contributions from the corporation. Amgen employs or retains 74 lobbyists and annually spends $10 million on lobby efforts in the Capitol, according to the Washington Center for Responsive Politics that tracks political spending and lobbying.

As with all contributions to his political funds, the Amgen gifts also benefit Enzi’s extended family. His daughter-in-law Danielle Enzi works from her Cheyenne home as his official fundraiser, and, in addition to her retainer, regularly receives commissions on campaign receipts. In fiscal year 2010-2011, for example, federal records show she received $70,910 in retainers and commissions. For 2011-2012, the senator paid her a $10,000 “performance” bonus.

Details of the insertion of Section 632 into the Fiscal Cliff bill have prompted angry responses in Washington from health policy makers as well as other members of Congress.

“Lawmakers and lobbyists once again placed their financial interests ahead of patient safety and Medicare solvency, passing the cost of such decisions on to the taxpayer,” commented Dennis J. Cotter, a Washington health policy expert who specializes in dialysis drugs.

On January 23, Vermont Democratic Congressman Peter Welch and a bi-partisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation to eliminate the Medicare price exemption from the Fiscal Cliff bill.

“Amgen managed to get a $500 million paragraph in the fiscal cliff bill, and virtually no one in Congress was aware of it,” Welch told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a taxpayer rip-off and comes at a really bad time when we’re trying to control healthcare costs. Amgen should not be allowed to turn Medicare into a profit center.”

Both Enzi and Barrasso declined to respond to WyoFile questions.

Both senators were asked if they were aware that Section 632 of the “Fiscal Cliff” bill contained a provision directly benefitting Amgen and if they or any members of their staffs had been contacted by Amgen representatives or lobbyists when they voted for the bill.

Enzi was also asked as a member of the Finance Committee and ranking member of the Health Committee if he or any members of his staff were aware of negotiations over the language of Section 632. Enzi declined to respond to WyoFile questions.

In emails directed to his press staffers Emily Lawrimore and Laura Mengelkamp, Barrasso was also asked if they were aware that two of his hosts at the February 26 fundraiser in Washington were Amgen lobbyists.

As he has in the past, including when he was contacted by former Washington Post reporter John Lancaster for a long profile piece for WyoFile, Barrasso did not respond to WyoFile queries.

— A former national and foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, Rone Tempest covered wars, natural disasters, politics and culture on six continents. In 2004 he was part of a team of reporters to win the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the massive wildfires in Southern California. Rone lives in Lander, Wyoming.

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Robinson is Gov Mead’s new tribal liaison for Eastern Shoshone

Sara Robinson was appointed by the Eastern Shoshone Business Council as its new tribal liaison. Robinson’s appointment was effective January 14, 2013. She joins Gary Collins who is the tribal liaison for the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Robinson replaces Edward Wadda who was killed in a car accident in 2012.

Gov. Matt Mead said he looks forward to working with Robinson. “The Tribal Liaisons in Wyoming play an important role in maintaining and enhancing the relationship between state and tribal governments and our communities. We all continue to miss Eddie and know Sara will build on his successes,” Mead said in a prepared statement.

Robinson served on the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees and the Eastern Shoshone Business Council. She has been an educator on the Wind River Reservation and has been a public defender. Robinson has her bachelor’s in education and a law degree from the University of Wyoming.

“I am very honored to be selected to serve. My focus will be on representing my people, the Eastern Shoshone, and through this service I believe we can move several issues forward to benefit the Wind River Reservation, Fremont County and the State of Wyoming,” Robinson said.

Darwin St. Clair Jr., Chairman of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council, said, “We were fortunate to have a number of well qualified applicants apply for the position.  The Eastern Shoshone Business Council is excited to have Ms. Sara Robinson representing the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.  She brings a wealth of knowledge and years of experience that will assist us with our government to government relationship we enjoy with the State of Wyoming.  She will be a great asset as we continue to improve our efforts in maintaining a positive relationship with the State.”

Wyo high school student petitions to include senior portrait with gay pride flag

A Worland High School senior is petitioning Washakie County School District No. 1 to allow the inclusion of his senior portrait, which features the gay pride flag, alongside his fellow classmates’ photos in the school’s yearbook.

Worland High School senior Matt Jolley. School officials say the inclusion of the gay pride flag may be too political for inclusion in the school’s yearbook unless Jolley buys an ad for its placement. (Courtesy Matt Jolley — click to view)

Matt Jolley, 18, is openly gay. He recently told WyoFile that when it came time to select a shot from his senior portrait photo shoot, his family and friends encouraged him to go with one in which he’s holding a small Rainbow flag. Last week he learned that the high school’s administration has tentatively decided not allow the inclusion of the photo, reportedly because the Rainbow flag might be considered overly political.

As a compromise, Jolley said the school will allow him to include his portrait by purchasing a $50 ad space in a portion of the yearbook reserved for ads. But Jolley said that’s not the same as having his portrait included right alongside his classmates’ photos.

“I really don’t think it’s political,” Jolley said of the inclusion of the Rainbow flag in his portrait. “It’s not like a Nazi flag or the KKK. It’s a universal thing… It’s not a political statement for me.”

Worland High School principal Randy Durr told WyoFile that no final decision has been made in the matter. He said the question about whether to include the photo in the yearbook does not center on a question of gay rights, but whether the inclusion of the gay pride flag is overly controversial — something that the school tries to avoid no matter the subject. Durr said he’s impressed with Jolley as a student and impressed with the way he is handling the matter; taking it through the school district’s established appeals process. The question first arose with the yearbook advisor, who took it to principal Durr, and now the case is being sent to the school district superintendent.

“We are trying to determine whether it’s a political statement or not,” Durr told WyoFile.

Jolley launched a petition campaign on Change.org, an online petition platform, to try to persuade school officials to change their stance on the matter. Jolley said he was scheduled to meet with Worland High School officials today (Monday, January 28) to further discuss the matter.

Jolley said he came out on Facebook late last summer, even though he’d believed that most people already knew he was gay. “I was surprised most people didn’t know.” Jolley said he loves photography and plans to attend The Art Institute of Colorado beginning this summer.

— Dustin Bleizeffer is WyoFile editor-in-chief. You can reach him at dustin@wyofile.com, (307) 577-6069. Follow Dustin on Twitter, @DBleizeffer

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Wyoming’s workplace fatalities on the decline

An initial review shows that there were 23 workplace fatalities in Wyoming in 2012, according to Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead’s office. That’s a decrease from 48 in 2007. For much of the 2000s, Wyoming’s workplace fatality rate ranked either worst or second-worst in the nation.

The Chief Joseph Scenic Highway in northwest Wyoming. (Dewey Vanderhoff/WyoFile — click to enlarge)

Gov. Mead issued a press release on Wednesday (January 23) announcing that his administration recently brought together representatives from the transportation industry to discuss forming a safety coalition and work on ways to make transportation in Wyoming safer. The concept would be similar to the Wyoming Oil and Gas Industry Safety Alliance (WOGISA) and the Wyoming Refinery Safety Alliance.

Mead noted that in 2012 more than half of the fatalities in Wyoming were in the transportation industry, and over the last decade 60 percent of workplace deaths occurred in the transportation industry.

“The transportation industry presents workplace safety challenges for employers and employees alike. I believe the transportation industry can do better,” Mead said in a prepared statement. “This coalition can focus initially on the root causes of transportation fatalities and begin to develop practices to reduce deaths.”

“It is important to identify and address the safety challenges of driving in Wyoming and communicate those challenges to the public, especially drivers who are not familiar with Wyoming’s roads, Wyoming’s weather and long distances travelled,” Sheila Foertsch, managing director of the Wyoming Trucking Association, said in a prepared statement.

Wyoming and some of its main industries have taken on several voluntary initiatives in recent years to try to reduce workplace fatalities and injuries. Wyoming hired a state occupational epidemiologist to analyze workplace fatalities and injuries. Seven new safety consultants were hired and trained by the Department of Workforce Services. The Legislature also appropriated funds for small companies to purchase safety equipment such as flame retardant clothing. The oil and gas industry formed WOGISA and the refineries in the state formed a similar coalition, the Refinery Safety Alliance.

For more on workplace safety issues in Wyoming, check out these recent WyoFile stories and columns:

— Wyoming refiners consider safety alliance

— Wyo OSHA witnessed fires and fire hazards prior to workers being burned

— Fuel Factories; Communities at risk

— Wyoming takes courtesy approach to curbing workplace deaths

— Widow of fallen Wyoming worker speaks

Star-Tribune feature details one injured soldier’s story

America is still at war, and we do not often get to see how it plays out in the lives of our neighbors. On Sunday, the Casper Star-Tribune featured the story of Colton Sasser; “Casper Army specialist fights to put his body back together,” by Kristy Gray and photos by Dan Cepeda. Colton was nearly killed in an April 15 attack in Afghanistan, and his road to recovery should be an inspiration to all. Sasser’s sacrifice and dedication to this nation, and his courageous determination to recover, should not be forgotten. Kudos to Kristy, Dan and the Star-Tribune for telling this story.

Last minute donation lands Wyoming Range deal

— By Kelsey Dayton
January 2, 2013

Efforts to raise money to buy and retire oil and gas leases in the Wyoming Range succeeded with a last-minute donation the day before Dec. 31 deadline, said Chris Deming, senior project manager with the Trust for Public Land.

The Trust announced today it raised the needed $8.75 million to buy leases from Plains Exploration Co. (PXP). PXP had proposed a project in the Wyoming Range to drill 136 wells on 17 well pads.

While everyone involved in the efforts stayed positive, whether or not the money could be raised in time was unknown.

“The outcome was in doubt until the very end,” Deming told WyoFile.

Joe Ricketts contributed $1.75 million, including an eleventh hour gift, the day before the deadline, of $750,000 to help the campaign reach its goal.

“I’m proud to have been able to play a role in helping to preserve this magnificent landscape for future generations,” Ricketts said in a press release. “The outpouring of support for this project was inspiring and demonstrates how much the people of Wyoming value the outdoors and how hard we’ll work to protect our natural resources.”

The trust announced a deal with PXP in October. The Trust raised the needed money in 90 days. According to a press release more than 1,000 donors contributed to protect the 58,000 acres. The largest donor was Hansjorg Wyss of Wilson, who contributed $4.25 million through his charitable foundation the Wyss Foundation.

“This is about neighbors and communities coming together to protect an iconic Western landscape, so the Wyoming Range will always remain open for everyone to hunt, fish, hike, and explore,” Wyss said in a press release.

About 85 percent of the lease area is within the boundaries of the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, which allows oil and gas leases to be permanently retired if purchased. The Trust is already working to retire the leases within the boundaries and will hold the remaining leases while developing a long-term retirement plan with state and federal officials.

For more information on this issue, read these previous stories;

Conservation groups celebrate buyout of Wyoming Range oil and gas leases

The Accidental Activist: Dan Smitherman leads the charge against drilling the Wyoming Range