In Other News ...
The top news stories from Laramie and Albany County as of March 23, 2021.
Welcome to the Laramie Reporter’s “In Other News” segment, a biweekly rundown of the top news stories from Laramie and Albany County as reported by local, state and regional media. Subscribe to my newsletter to get this list in your inbox every other Tuesday.
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ConnectGen has officially filed its application for the Rail Tie Wind Project with Albany County, the Laramie Boomerang reports. The Rail Tie is planned for 26,000 acres of state and private land in the south of the county, much to the consternation of some landowners in the area. An organized campaign opposed to the project has sprung up and pushed for tighter wind siting regulations throughout the past year. The Albany County Commission updated those wind regulations March 2, but opponents of the wind project say those regulations don’t go far enough. Commissioners may consider and adopt further restrictions on wind development, but ConnectGen’s application will only be subject to the current slate of requirements.
Reading status:Laramie Boomerang paywall
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The campaign against the Rail Tie Wind Project has been vocal, with those opposed showing up by the dozens to public comment periods, taking out billboards around the county and sending mailers to many of its residents. Some of those arenas have been rife with misinformation, Wyoming Public Radio reports, examining some of the specific scientific claims made about wind turbine efficiency, wind farm construction and bird deaths. The presence and prominence of misinformation is accelerated by outlets such as PragerU, and can make finding accurate information online difficult. “Not all information is equal,” Albany County Commission Chair Pete Gosar said.
Reading status: Open access
https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/albany-county-wind-debate-rife-misinformation
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The City of Laramie is pushing back against a legislative bill that would give the University of Wyoming control of its own water supply, Wyoming Public Radio reports. If House Bill 198 becomes law, the university could establish and maintain its own water system independent of the city’s. City Councilors passed a strongly worded resolution last week calling the bill “unconstitutional” and arguing that parallel water systems would lead to a duplication of efforts, with Laramie residents footing the bill for both. One key issue is the watering of Jacoby Golf Course. Currently, the city benefits from having this responsibility, as irrigation keeps the city water from sitting stagnant and becoming dangerous to drink. If UW irrigated the golf course with its own water system, city councilors said the city would have to expend resources “flushing” the system to keep the water moving.
Reading status: Open access
https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/city-laramie-bashes-bill-would-give-uw-control-water-supply
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With decreasing case counts and rising vaccination rates, the University of Wyoming is reversing its earlier decision to keep education virtual following Spring Break. UW students will have the option of returning to the classroom following Spring Break, the Casper Star-Tribune reports. However, classes will be taught virtually for an additional week following Spring Break, before on-campus instruction resumes. Students who have already made plans to go elsewhere and learn virtually will still have the option to do so, according to a statement from UW President Ed Seidel.
Reading status:Casper Star-Tribune paywall
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