State Board Votes to Reverse Approval of Major Wind Energy Projects in Eastern Wyoming

Wyoming’s state land board has voted to reverse its own approval of two major wind energy projects in Converse and Niobrara counties, setting the stage for a legal and political conflict over the future of renewable energy in the state. The State Board of Land Commissioners voted 3-2 on Thursday to begin the formal process of canceling the leases for the Pronghorn H2 and Sidewinder wind projects, which it had unanimously approved just ten months earlier in April 2025.

The reversal was driven by Secretary of State Chuck Gray, Auditor Kristi Racines, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder. They cited a December 2025 district court ruling that invalidated a related state land lease for the Pronghorn project. Judge Scott Peasley ruled that lease was unlawful because it did not explicitly require the generated electricity to be fed into the grid, violating state rules. “These wind leases are inconsistent with our values, they’re inconsistent with our fiduciary duty and they’re wrong,” Gray stated.

Governor Mark Gordon and Treasurer Curt Meier opposed the motion, warning of serious legal and reputational consequences. Meier argued the board was creating damaging uncertainty for all state land lessees and overstepping its authority. “I feel it’s problematic when a state board takes it into their hands to be the Legislature, the court and the executive branch all at one time,” Meier said.

The board’s action comes amid growing political opposition to wind development in Wyoming. During the meeting, members of the public delivered emotional testimony against the projects, citing landscape impacts and loyalty to the state’s traditional coal and gas industries. Degenfelder, who changed her vote from the previous approval, stated, “I do think that we got the decision in April wrong. I should speak for myself. I know that I did.”

The developer, Colorado-based Focus Clean Energy, has invested millions based on the now-threatened leases. President Paul Martin said the company is confident the Wyoming Supreme Court will overturn the lower court’s decision and that they are prepared to sue if the state ultimately cancels the leases. “We’re definitely disappointed to see the state trying to back out of a commitment,” Martin told WyoFile.

In a related 3-2 vote, the board also instructed Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz to withdraw the state’s own appeal of Judge Peasley’s ruling to the Supreme Court, a move opponents called an overreach of authority. The board’s decision places it in a difficult position, balancing its fiduciary duty to generate revenue for K-12 schools from state lands against growing political pressure and local opposition to industrial-scale energy projects.