CHEYENNE — Several top federal officials have declined the state of Wyoming’s invitation to speak at a symposium later this month on energy issues in the West.
Wyoming is paying for lawmakers from 14 states to travel to the Western States Energy and Environment Symposium in Jackson. The state has budgeted more than $400,000 for the event Oct. 25-27.
Wyoming invited Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who chairs the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Each has declined.
Catherine Zoi, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, now is scheduled as keynote speaker for one night at the symposium. Robert Stavins, a professor at the Environment and Natural Resources Program at Harvard University and the author of several books on the economics of energy, is set to give another keynote.
Wyoming House Speaker Colin Simpson, R-Cody, was the main sponsor of legislation to create the symposium. He said Wednesday that he’s pleased with the way the conference is shaping up.
“I’m glad we’ve got somebody coming from the Department of Energy,” Simpson said. “I thought that the secretaries were a long shot coming.”
Simpson said the conference will focus on how to improve energy systems on regional and local levels.
State Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette, is on the committee organizing the event. He emphasized that it is succeeding at its main goal of bringing state lawmakers together from across the West.
