February 19, 2019

“Today is a proud moment for Wyoming: We now have the toughest self-bonding rules in the nation. With a 5-0 vote, the state Environmental Quality Council approved new rules limiting self-bonding of coal mines. This was a critical step allowing the state to better manage the risk of over $2 billion in strip mine reclamation bonds in Wyoming. With today’s uncertain coal market, and the huge scale of Wyoming’s mines, self-bonding the old way had become much too risky. We are delighted to see the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Quality Council take this step to protect Wyoming taxpayers.”

 

Bob LeResche is the Vice Chair of Powder River Basin Resource Council. He is a former Commissioner of Natural Resources for the State of Alaska, Executive Director of the Alaska Energy Authority, investment banker and CEO.  With his wife Carol he operates a ranch and organic heirloom vegetable farm near Clearmont, Wyoming