Wyoming Committee Advances Broad Geoengineering Ban Expanding DEQ Authority

Several recent developments highlight efforts to reform and enhance energy and environmental policies in the U.S. and abroad. Wyoming's Agriculture, State & Public Lands & Water Resources Committee advanced the "Clean Air and Geoengineering Prohibition Act," which prohibits geoengineering activities in the state's airspace and expands enforcement and monitoring authority for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality with added staffing and funding. Meanwhile, the National Association of Manufacturers released a roadmap emphasizing the critical need for comprehensive permitting reform to support both energy dominance and artificial intelligence integration in manufacturing, highlighting the need for faster, less complex permitting processes to maintain U.S. competitiveness. Bipartisan governors also expressed urgency in improving federal permitting and regulatory processes to meet rising electricity demands, advocating for technology-neutral and apolitical administration of permitting that supports a diverse energy mix. In Alaska, the Senate is moving to reverse Biden-era environmental protections in the National Petroleum Reserve, aligning with President Trump’s agenda to expand oil and gas drilling, which underscores ongoing tensions between energy development and environmental regulation. These actions collectively reflect the broader national and international efforts to balance energy development, environmental protection, and technological advancement through targeted reforms and policies.