Already feeling the impact of the Obama administration’s war on coal, the state of Wyoming has decided to combat the green-energy promoters of the federal government by partnering with Japan.
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead signed an agreement this week calling for cooperation between the state and a consortium of Japanese companies in researching clean-coal technology. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Cheyenne with the president of the Japan Coal Energy Center, which represents 120 manufacturing and energy companies.
Wyoming has taken a big hit on its coal industry with several operations closed because of the efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce clean energy regulations against coal-fired power plants. Wyoming relies on coal as much as Oklahoma relies on oil and gas.
Governor Mead thinks he’s found a way around those restrictive efforts of the EPA.
He wants Wyoming not be just “be a leader in the production of coal, we want to be a leader in the solutions for coal here in Wyoming.” Gov. Mead anticipates a conference to take place in Wyoming which is the largest coal-producing state in the nation. The conference would allow Japanese researchers to work on coal issues with researchers from the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources.