It turns out the Bill Gates/CCP nuclear reactor demonstration is just the tip of the iceberg.
Key WY legislators of the Minerals Committee prostrated themselves to the Climate Change God at the August 12th interim meeting, and it was repulsive to watch. (See Joint Minerals video here, begins at 1 hour and 1 minute). Saying Wyoming is being slaughtered would be an understatement.
They were representing you when they did this by the way.
The nuclear project discussion of the meeting was divided into two parts:
1. Transforming Wyoming’s Economy and the Energy Paradigm Simultaneously
This was a slide presentation offered by Dr. Richard Boardman from the Idaho National Laboratory. In a nutshell, Dr. Boardman suggested the following changes to Wyoming’s economy:
- Swapping WY traditional energy economy for a “Net Zero Energy Economy”. (This video, that explains a Net Zero Energy Economy, calls for all fossil fuel financing and subsidies, coal financing, domestic use of coal and coal exports to be phased out by 2022/2025/2030.)
- Producing Net Energy Services & Products (slides 2 – 4).
- Transforming Wyoming from the Energy Capital of the Nation to the “Western Hydrogen Frontier”. This would include a target called “Hydrogen Energy Earthshot” (slide 6), which is part of a larger DOE agenda called the Energy Earthshots Intiative. Another “earthshot” is the Long Duration Storage Shot, which would be a new dogmatic way of describing the Bill Gates/CCP nuclear reactor by climate-change disciples (slides 5 – 13).
- Manufacturing the Supply Chain of Nuclear Reactors and Components in WY to export nationally and internationally (slides 14 – 17).
- Integrating energy systems for the nation’s net-zero future (slides 19 – 26).
Mr. Boardman was sure to mention the 2021 Infrastructure Bill and emphasized how there is a significant amount of money available for all parties involved, including the University of Wyoming. More specifically, he quoted that the 2021 Infrastructure bill has ten billion dollars earmarked to create “Hydrogen Hubs”.
Minimal discussion followed the presentation. When Senator Cooper raised his hand to comment or question, he was cut off by Representative Greear who said:
Senator Cooper, I know what’s spinning through your mind, and I’ll tell you what your thinking – but I’ll tell ya in private. (Laughs) I know what you’re thinkin… yeah, we’re gonna do it.
So Senator Cooper, what we need is leadership. We need to have a vision going forward… If we don’t get it from where we need it, we’ll drive that vision out of this committee. We’ve got to get some resources to Wyoming Business Council so they can… fly to somewhere… sit down and talk with people who are interested. They need to have this information in their hands. They got to be able to go, as you were saying in last meeting, market… if we’re going to do this. We’re ahead of the rest of the world right now… for the first time. We need to stay there.
2. Delivering Everything Rocky Mountain Power Desires, Including More Tax Exemptions
Jon Cox, the Vice President of Government Affairs with Rocky Mountain Power, quickly ran through every change they want made to existing Wyoming law (begins at time frame 1:39:00). Committee co-chairs Senator Jim Anderson and Representative Michael Greear made sure they had it straight on what they need to do for Rocky Mountain Power and TerraPower. Here is a brief list summarized from that discussion:
- Changes to WS §35-11-2101:
- Eliminate altogether the maximum amount of megawatts allowed. WY law specifies “not more than 300 megawatts of electricity”.
- Replace language “small modular reactors” with “advanced reactors”.
- Definitions and “caveats” used in the 2021 Infrastructure Bill could be duplicated/considered in WY law.
- This could leave things more “open-ended” for additional reactors that might be sited in Wyoming.
- Expand the concept of ‘conversion’ versus ‘replacement’ of a coal power plant.
- They are in too much of a hurry for separate permitting requirements by state and federal – therefore state and federal permitting processes should occur concurrently.
- Create a sub-committee to look at Nuclear Regulatory Commission process – reduce redundancies.
- Title 39, Chapter 23 (TAX UPON PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY FROM NUCLEAR REACTORS)
- Reminder that nuclear reactor demonstrations are already tax exempt in 39-23-105 (c).
- They would like to build more reactors in WY and a tax “would be an impediment to growth”. (WS §39-23-104 specifies “$5 on each megawatt hour, or portion thereof, that is sold”.)
- They are concerned that 2019 Senate File 159 requires Rocky Mountain Power to attempt to sell a coal-fire generation plant before it is closed; if they select a site for the demonstration, “that could cause a problem”. Cox suggested that 2021 HB166 (sponsored by Representative Harshman) should be amended to change the definition of “retirement” of an electric generation facility.
It is clear from the video that the Minerals Committee co-chairs, along with the help of LSO, will deliver the changes requested by Rocky Mountain Power.
At around 1 hour and 47 minutes into the video Senator Jim Anderson asks Jon Cox what dollar amount of tax they would prefer. Anderson suggested the same tax as Wind, which is $1 a megawatt hour ($4 dollars less, per megawatt hour, than what is in WY law). Cox wisely refrained from answering that question directly.
Later, Senator Jim Anderson made the motion for a bill draft to eliminate taxation of all nuclear plants. Representative Burkhart seconded that motion. Senator Rothfuss (D) opposed the motion saying. “if you want to match it to wind I think that’s at least a reasonable policy start… so down to $1 a megawatt hour… and that would be fine… but I wouldn’t support wiping it out. I think the last thing we need to do is find new ways to eliminate our revenue right now“. (Video of this exchange is at bottom of page.)
Senator Anderson’s motion for a bill draft by the Minerals Committee failed. Clearly he will not be deterred in the least. Look for it by individual sponsors next session – Anderson and Burkhart’s name should be at the top.
What does Wyoming and the Green-New-Deal have in common?!
Take a wild guess.
Yup. Bill Gates. Who is now seeking a public-private-partnership (PPP) with the United States Dept of Energy via a $1.5 billion dollar pledge.
Gordon and Barrasso welcomed this nutjob into our state with open arms; it is uncertain now if he will ever go away.
