Where Do They Stand?

The Beneficial-Use Water Alliance is sitting down with the Wyoming gubernatorial and legislative candidates. We want to know – like you want to know – where do the candidates stand on the issue of taking energy industry produced water and putting it to beneficial use.

Even if you’re not in Wyoming, it’s critical that we know if our elected officials are content to keep throwing water away.

Another way of asking it, are the candidates ready to cut the red tape and let the market economy put the 71.4 billion gallons of yearly produced water (that’s just in Wyoming) to better use for crops and herds? We’re ready. The systems are there. It’s economically feasible. But we need leadership that understands beneficial-use water, has a pair of scissors, and will cut the red tape.

Now, there’s many issues in this election. The Alliance sees that the important ones like jobs, the economy, and taxes are all related to water. Here’s what we mean.

Oftentimes, we limit ourselves by seeing things in boxes. The economy – which means do I have the money to pay my bills – is in a box. Taxes is in another box. Will there be a job for me or my graduating children is in another box. But those boxes are all related.

Putting the produced water to beneficial use brings direct revenue to the state, so taxes don’t have to increase. If the water is being used for ag or herds, then that takes the pressure off the municipalitiesand the cost of your hot shower each morning won’t go up. There’s a productivity increase in farms and ranches, which creates more jobsand brings more money in to pay the billsfor everyone. 

One thing is related to the other. And it all starts with just the first drop (and the next billion gallons) of water being put to beneficial use.

We want to know where the candidates stand. But here’s a question for you: Where do you stand?