The Body Politic Electric

Wyoming, still the nation's least-populated state, says it will "symbolically phase out' electric vehicles in the state by 2035 in order to "protect" the state's oil and gas industry.

REPUBLICANS IN WYOMING’S state senate are considering a resolution banning new electric vehicle sales in the state by 2035, an answer to California and New York states’ recent laws that would bar the sale of gas-powered vehicles in those states by the same year.

“The Legislature would be saying, ‘If you don’t like our petroleum cars, well, we don’t like your electric cars,’” said the resolution’s sponsor, Republican State Sen. Jim Anderson, Cowboy State Daily reported.

The Wyoming resolution, “Phasing Out New Electric Vehicle Sales By 2035,” is largely a symbolic gesture, as it would not be legally binding if passed. But Wyoming Republicans still think it’s important enough to consider passing, even if only to troll Democratic states that favor electric vehicles.

The bill states that “oil and gas production has long been one of Wyoming’s proud and valued industries” and has generated “countless jobs” and “contributed revenues” to the state. It goes on to say that Wyoming’s “vast stretches of highway, coupled with a lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure” would make “widespread use of electric vehicles impracticable.”

“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,” GOP co-sponsor Sen. Brian Boner said, according to Cowboy State Daily. “I just don’t appreciate when other states try to force technology that isn’t ready.” 

 

Wyoming women of child-bearing age, residents of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, and trans folks were not asked to comment on "how other states shouldn't get to determine things where you live."

 

Also, no Republican wants to "discuss the issues" with electric vehicles any more than they want to have real discussions on race, gender, religion, or civil rights.  It's all bad-faith trolling, like this legislation and the people trying to pass it.