Casper Star-Tribune - Candidates Outline Plans for Energy

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Casper Star-Tribune - Candidates Outline Plans for Energy

Candidates for the Wyoming's open U.S. House seat would like to see the Cowboy State expand its role in providing the nation with energy.

Besides energy independence, the six candidates talked about the Wyoming Range and other issues at a town hall forum Thursday evening at Casper College's Aley Fine Arts Center.

About 100 people attended the forum, and audience members had the opportunity to ask questions about issues they considered important.

Seven-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin is retiring, leaving Wyoming's lone seat in Congress up for grabs.

Michael Holland of Green River, Bill Winney of Bondurant, Cynthia Lummis of Cheyenne, and rancher Mark Gordon of Johnson County are seeking the GOP nomination.

The only Democrat running is Gary Trauner of Wilson.

W. David Herbert of Cody is running as a Libertarian.

This and other congressional forums are sponsored by the chambers of commerce of Casper, Gillette, Cheyenne, Rock Springs and Jackson Hole; the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce Executives; the U.S Chamber of Commerce; the Cowboy State News Network; Wal-Mart; Casper College; the Wyoming Business Report; the Wyoming Tribune Eagle; and KCWY Television Channel 13.

Representatives of some of those organizations asked candidates to discuss Wyoming's role in national energy independence and security, and how they envisioned achieving both.

"Wyoming will play a pivotal role in those issues," said Lummis, former legislator and state treasurer. "And yes, we do need to diversify our energy portfolio in this country."

Wyoming and the nation should increase oil, gas and coal production, fund research to make cleaner coal technology available, increase the amount of alternative energy used and most of all, conserve, Lummis said. She also cited Wyoming's expertise in directional drilling, which could be used for off-shore projects and in Alaska.

Trauner, a businessman who narrowly lost to Cubin in 2006, said it's not a smart investment for the U.S. to continue its dependence on other countries for oil. The country's "addiction to oil" needs to stop, he said.

"We're funding both sides of the war on terror right now, whether we like it or not," Trauner said.

Herbert, a Riverton podiatrist, said the price of gas is related to the weakening of the American dollar. The Libertarian solution would be to go back to a gold standard and balance the budget.

"One thing I propose is we stop any branch of government from any type of taxation on privately held real estate, so the average citizen would be able to protect themselves against inflation," Herbert said.

Candidates also had a chance to comment on Sen. John Barrasso's legislation making the Wyoming Range off-limits to future oil and gas production..

Holland, a Green River doctor on the libertarian end of the Republican spectrum, said federal oversight of nature conservancy never fared well.

"I think the state's a much better steward of the land," he said. "This is an ill-considered move. Congress should stick to the tasks that are mandated to them."

Gordon said the issue highlights a critical topic in Wyoming -- how to balance gas recovery and protect wildlife habitat.

"I will tell you that my family has enjoyed countless hours walking in the mountains, and it's a very precious thing," Gordon said.

Using 3-D seismic technology is one option the state could use to better gauge what the range's resources are, he said. "Then I think we would have a better understanding of A, what the reserves were, and B, what we could protect and put stipulations on."

Winney, a Retired U.S. Navy captain, said his home overlooks the Wyoming Range, and there's a part of him that doesn't want to see a bunch of drilling rigs outside his window.

"But there's another piece of me that says, 'We know how to make that not happen,'" he said. "We know how to locate drilling rigs in remote locations...When you have energy at the prices we pay today, it makes a difference to us."

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