In his State of the State message Governor Matt Mead asked for support of his energy and water initiatives and for investment in education, infrastructure, and local government. Mead said this will help overcome a downturn in energy prices.

But the governor admitted that challenges remain. He told legislators that his administration will fight against what he calls federal overreach, especially as it pertains to coal. 

“And in my lifetime, I have never seen an onslaught against a single industry, a single commodity, like the Obama administrations’ anti-coal agenda. The EPA has had a green light to go after the coal industry and 6 years later coal is still targeted by federal regulators.”

Senate Minority Leader Chris Rothfuss was pleased with the governor’s speech, but he called for spending an additional 200 million dollars on local governments over the next four years. Rothfuss says he agrees with Mead that investing in Wyoming would help combat an economic downturn.