A group of Republican state legislators in Wyoming have proposed a ban on electric vehicles in the state until 2035 in an attempt to protect the oil and gas industries.
A group of Republican state legislators in Wyoming have proposed a ban on electric vehicles in the state until 2035 in an attempt to protect the oil and gas industries.
The bill, which was introduced on Friday, states: “The proliferation of electric vehicles at the expense of gas-powered vehicles will have deleterious impacts on Wyoming’s communities and will be detrimental to Wyoming’s economy and the ability for the country to efficiently engage in commerce.”
Wyoming state Sen. Jim Anderson, a Republican and one of the bill’s sponsors, told The Cowboy State Daily that the legislation came after several states moved to ban the sale of gas combustion cars, and noted that if the measure passes, “The Legislature would be saying, ‘If you don’t like our petroleum cars, well, we don’t like your electric cars.’ ”
Co-sponsor Sen. Brian Boner said that the resolution would be a symbolic measure, but that it would still be meaningful.
“One might even say tongue-in-cheek, but obviously it’s a very serious issue that deserves some public discussion,” Boner said.
“I’m interested in making sure that the solutions that some folks want to the so-called climate crisis are actually practical in real life,” he added. “I just don’t appreciate when other states try to force technology that isn’t ready.”
