Wyo. eco-devo reforms in, deregulation of utilities out

For many Wyoming legislators, the upcoming special
and budget session was to be devoted to "E" issues — education, economic development, ethics and electric utility deregulation.
Education, ethics and economic development are still on tap, but it looks like electric utility-deregulation legislation will be on the back burner, so to speak, for another year.
The Legislature˜s Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee short-circuited the utility deregulation bill last month, opting instead to wait to see how deregulation shakes out nationally.
Electric utility deregulation is being championed by large industrial users but opposed by small electric co-ops, ranchers…