Yes, you read that correctly. Wyoming is pulling a complete 180 in terms of energy policy.
According to lawmakers in Wyoming, all the following states have got it all wrong: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
Each state listed above has already committed to doing the exact opposite of Wyoming: All gas-powered vehicles will be officially banned by 2035.
Talk about contrarianism.
Republican Sen. Jim Anderson is leading the symbolic charge, claiming to have Wyoming’s oil and gas industry in mind.
Although I think his plans are a touch misguided, he’s appealing to a very real sense of anxiety in his voter base.
In terms of oil production, Wyoming is the eighth-most productive state in the U.S. It churns out an average of around 89 million barrels per year.
And with a population of barely over 500,000 — about the same population as Baltimore City — that means the average Wyoming resident has a very good chance of working in the industry.
Banning EVs is literally never going to happen, but if ever there were an audience willing to agree with Sen. Anderson, it’s his home state.
“Ban the Things I Don’t Like!”
Though Anderson is firmly affiliated with the Republican party, this move is right out of the Democrats' playbook.
Banning anything that conflicts with the liberal worldview is what initially led us down the road to an all-renewable future.
And although I wholeheartedly agree that EVs and green energy are the inevitable future of humanity, it’s important to consider every aspect of this complex situation. Our analysts have traveled the world over, dedicated to finding the best and most profitable investments in the global energy markets. All you have to do to join our Energy and Capital investment community is sign up for the daily newsletter below.
That includes outliers like Wyoming and the nearly 70,000 jobs supported by its oil and gas industry.
The transition to green energy doesn’t affect everyone equally. Rural states are historically the last to benefit from new technology — a good portion of Wyoming doesn't even have broadband internet access.
The combination of misinformation and good old-fashioned fearmongering leads to situations like this. Sen. Anderson has his heart in the right place, but his symbolic gesture is destined to fail.
If I were in charge of governing the state, I’d instead focus on what Wyoming can do in the future rather than clinging to a dwindling industry like a Luddite.
Wyoming’s vast oil and gas infrastructure includes pipelines and refineries. Producers in the state have proven expertise in all types of heavy industry.
What if oil and gas aren't the only energy source that states like Wyoming could find their fortune in?
Don’t Just Scream Into the Void — Do Something About It!
I’m not insinuating that Wyoming legislators aren't doing everything they can to stay economically relevant in the days to come.
But if this fear of the state’s oil and gas industry crumbling to the ground is genuine, there’s no time to waste complaining.
EVs are never going to be banned. Unless some new study links them to cancer or erectile dysfunction, they're here to stay.
But EVs aren't the only way to green up your economy.
What many folks don't realize is that Wyoming’s vast plains are home to some of the nation’s largest wind farms.
The state’s turbines provide an incredible 3 gigawatts of power per year, with even more capacity on the way. The upcoming Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, set to be completed in 2026, will be the largest wind farm in the entire country.
So as you can see, Wyoming knows a thing or two about renewables. The voter base might eat up this anti-California rhetoric, but is it ultimately doing more harm than good?
If I had to offer any unsolicited advice to Sen. Anderson, I would recommend playing to his state’s strengths.
Wyoming's wind power could easily be used to create carbon-free green fuel.
The state has all the necessary know-how and industrial infrastructure needed to transport just about any material.
Instead of launching an overblown EV smear campaign that is destined to fail, why not invest in a type of fuel that can take advantage of those same oil and gas pipelines?
That’s what the rest of the nation — and the rest of the planet — are already considering.
Instead of going backward, Wyoming could become a paragon of green energy. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
They’re TINY by oil and gas standards, but this is only the beginning.
Find out exactly what I’m talking about here.
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