April 13, 2025 - Wyoming has long been known as a major mineral contributor. 

As a state we export 12 times more energy than we use, making us the third larger energy producer in the nation.   

But more recently coal has fallen by the way side as greener and cleaner energy laws have taken over, but that is now changing.  

We spoke to Sen. Cynthia Lummis about coals future in Wyoming. 

"President Trump wants to make the United States not only energy independent, but a global supplier of energy, and we have the energy resources to do it," says Sen. Cynthia Lummis, WYO. (R) 

On Tuesday President Donald Trump signed an executive order giving the coal industry a shot in the arm. 

He directed the chair of national energy dominance council to re- designate coal as a "mineral" which would entitle it to legal benefits and protections. 

This would allow agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands and clear the red tape for development, mining and leasing. 

Right now Wyoming produces over 40 percent of the nations coal with about 90 percent of it sitting in federal lands in the powder river basin.  

With growing needs for electricity, a growing population, AI, and Wyoming's Stable Token block chain demands our state "Crypto Queen" says Wyoming could be tee'd up to win big. 

"Big demand coming from artificial intelligence. It's a big consumer of energy, we're going to need double the electricity we use right now.  So this is not the time to cut energy sources, this is the time to expand energy sources and make sure we do it in the cleanest way possible," says Lummis

Lummis says she expect trump to eventually add other executive orders to ensure a diverse mix of energy sources.