WYDOT at CCCOG

There was no quorum on Wednesday for the meeting of Carbon County Council of Governments (CCCOG) in Riverside. Although no business could be decided, the Wyoming of Department of Transportation (WYDOT) gave a presentation on WYDOT’s current funding situation, an overview of the selection process for projects and shared plans for existing and upcoming projects for District 1.

District 1 includes most of Carbon County, Albany County, most of Laramie County and a small part of Sweetwater County.

Tom DeHoff, district engineer, spoke about goals and explained how recently increased drivers license fees were now a part of funding for WYDOT, but general funds WYDOT received in the past will go to help other state organizations. He used a pie chart to show all revenues coming in.

“We get $300,000,000 from the federal government. To get that money we have to match it with ten cents per dollar. So for sure we are going to do that,” DeHoff said.

Tim Morton, district construction engineer, reported on the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for District 1 for years 2107 to 2023.

DeHoff concluded the presentation with WYDOT updates. DeHoff confirmed to one member of the public that the wind was the worst in District 1 over any place in the US.

“The highest point along I-80 in District 1 is 8640 feet and the average is 7,000 feet. It is a mountain,” DeHoff said. “We have to close the road sometimes because of the wind. We don’t want to, because we take pride in keeping it open, but sometimes the wind is just too dangerous.”

Kara Choquette, Director of Communications for Power Company of Wyoming LLC, gave an update on the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Energy Project.

She said the project is making great progress.

“Phase one is done, but we are starting processing the plans and development for BLM (Bureau of Land Management) for phase two,” Choquette said.

She went over all the federal permits that have been recently approved.

“We have all the federal permits effectively in hand, said Choquette. “It is just so exciting.”

Choquette thanked CCCOG for its support in averting a wind tax last time it came up in the legislature. She says a wind tax is being discussed in Thermopolis August 3.

Steve Nicholson, CCCOG chair, asked if it would help if letters and bodies showed up to oppose the tax in Thermopolis on August 3.

“I hate to ask, but it would be great. Last year, they received letters and support against the tax and I think it made a difference,” Choquette said.

The next scheduled CCCOG meeting will be 6 p.m. September 20 in the town of Elk Mountain.