Wyoming committee hears debate on repealing low‑carbon mandates; bill tabled

Representative Christopher Knapp, a Republican from Campbell County, introduced House Bill 209 to the Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee as a repeal of state requirements tied to low‑carbon standards and carbon capture at coal‑fired power plants.

"This repeal frees up our coal fired plants, our fossil fuel energy to let the market dictate what energy will do," Representative Christopher Knapp said as he described the bill as removing what he called an "onerous" mandate that could require utilities to create plans or projects for CO2 sequestration. He estimated large commercial sequestration projects might cost "up to $500,000,000 to $1,000,000,000 for every coal fired plant."

The governor's office and multiple state agencies urged caution. Randall Luthy, policy director for Governor Mark Gordon, told the committee HB 209 is a straightforward repeal but recommended tabling the bill and directing an interim study instead. Luthy summarized state…