Bill creating voluntary trust for mineral reclamation passes House

House Bill 0045 has passed through the Wyoming House of Representatives on third and final reading with a vote of 56, 4 excused. 

This bill, sponsored by the Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee, proposes requiring the Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Quality Council to establish a voluntary assigned trust option for reclamation bonds purchased by mineral companies that have an option to take part. 

Rep. Cyrus Western, R – Big Horn, serves on the House Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee. 

According to Western, this bill proposes putting that money to work instead. 

By creating the trust, which will be managed by the State Treasurer’s Office, that reclamation money would generate returns through market investments that will be beneficial to the mining companies, the reclamation obligation and the state. 

HB 0045 will now go onto the Senate.