Coal has been something of a backbone for the state’s economy for thirty plus years, but the coal sector is in trouble regardless of the Clean Power Plan ... the rising competition from natural gas, utility companies are not investing in coal for future projects, the growth in renewables ... Is the role of coal going to be different in Wyoming’s future? What does a healthy coal sector in Wyoming look like to you?

I think that from the perspective of what is healthy for the industry and what’s healthy for the state, our coal industry just ought to be able to compete. I think that everybody understands, including people that are in these industries, that you’ve got market forces that are having an impact. But we shouldn’t have a situation where they are dealing with the market. They know they’ve got to compete with natural gas. They understand that, but when you also have policies coming out of an administration that are openly targeting –we’re going to kill this industry—that’s nearly impossible to deal with.

I think that if we’re able to undo, not just the Clean Power Plan, but mercury and air toxins and get the moratorium on the leases lifted, a whole range of issues, I think we’ll see a couple of very specific coal related issues dealt with as part of the congressional review act process. Then we will begin to basically allow coal to compete.