Lawmakers Haggle Over Compensation for Energy Development Impacts

By Bob Beck

Cheyenne, WY – The House continues debating legislation to provide nearly 200 million dollars to help local government deal with impacts from energy development. Representatives fought back an attempt to trim money that would go to communities that have not benefited from energy development. Representative Steve Harshman wanted more money shifted to impacted communities. But Laramie Representative Kermit Brown noted that the budget in his community and places like Torrington have fallen well behind those in most of the rest of the state. Brown says the money proposed for his community is already very modest. sided with Brown and defeated the amendment. Final debate on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday.