With the mid-term elections complete across the country, I again find myself concerned about Wyoming and our mineral based economy.

As the shift in Congress comes with the new year, what will it mean to a state that thrives on an energy based economy, and for that matter, a country that thrives economically when energy resources are fully utilized?

We have lived through the earlier years of working with the challenges of administrations  that didn’t share our Wyoming interests.

In those earlier days we found ourselves with ongoing battles to maintain Wyoming’s oil, gas and coal production, along with  various products that help the economy.  With the latest changes in Congress, I worry the battles will resume.

As an example when the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP) was announced by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for 3.7 million acres across a five-county area we found it challenged our Wyoming recourses and ultimately our Wyoming way of life. I felt we should take our concerns straight to D.C. because of the detrimental effects to the economy of Rock Springs/Green River and all of southwest Wyoming.

I contacted my fellow Senators, Jones and Kolb out of Sweetwater County and said, “Saddle up it’s time to ride.”

We made a quick trip out to Washington D.C. for a sit-down meeting with the director of the BLM, Tracy Stone-Manning.

My argument, as well as my colleagues — We understand the importance of preservation and protecting all that’s important to the Red Desert and the surrounding area but we also have a local economy that sustains the families living in the communities of southwest Wyoming. To close down mineral and product development under the plan, like that found in the “The Patch,” (Trona Patch) will devastate the economy that affects those families.

Was it worth a day-run to D.C. on my own time and dime? I don’t know that it offered an overwhelming change in direction, but I hope trips like that continue to occur and that we are looking after the interests of Wyoming.

Now we find ourselves looking at changes in processing the product in The Patch and protecting the jobs and families. Our battles continue in one form or another.

We’ll find a way, that’s why we signed up to help a great state with wonderful people.

I’ll saddle up and ride any day, for Wyoming, own time, own dime!