Wyoming

Most of the oil states have gone into recession, S&P Global Ratings said in a new report.

With austerity measures already in place and energy revenues showing little sign of rebounding, Wyoming's government is pushing to diversify the state's economy sooner rather than later.

State and local governments and showing a wide variety of impacts from the collapse of the oil market that began two years ago, ratings analysts say.

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead is asking state agencies to look for more ways to save money, citing a budget shortfall that could be more than $500 million.

Far West issuers sold $83.6 billion of municipal bonds in 2015, a 26.5% increase over the prior year, as refundings continued to drive volume.

The Wyoming Senate rejected a measure that would have expanded Medicaid in the state, a step Gov. Matt Mead had urged support of and that he said would have brought more federal money to Wyoming.

State governors and other public officials who warned that new Environmental Protection Agency regulations could cause significant economic harm to their states and localities are hailing the Supreme Court’s decision to place a stay on the EPA’s plan.

Wyoming's outlook was cut to negative from stable by Standard & Poor's as the highly-rated state struggles with budgetary pressure.

Facing a fiscal year 2016 shortfall of about $159 million, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has proposed slashing expenses and borrowing from the state's rainy day account to offset a sharp fall in energy industry revenues.

The Casper, Wyo. City Council last week approved plans for an $8.5 million redevelopment of the city's downtown.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation says it needs an additional $62 million per year to maintain its roads and bridges, even as a recent report concludes that the state faces a sharp drop in revenue due to a weak oil and gas market.

Greenhouse gas regulations could cause declines in Wyoming's employment and revenues due to lowered demand for the coal the state produces, a University of Wyoming professor said recently.

Alaska, North Dakota and Wyoming are the states most "in the crosshairs" as energy revenues look to remain low well into next year, Fitch Ratings said.

Standard & Poor's upgraded Wyoming's Fremont County School District No. 1 to A-plus from A.

The Wyoming Community Development Authority is gearing up to issue $114 million to refund outstanding bonds and to purchase home loans as part of a program to make home buying easier for some state residents.

Standard & Poor's has downgraded Laramie County, Wyo.'s 2012 bonds issued for Cheyenne Regional Medical Center to A from A-plus.

The Wyoming Infrastructure Authority has named Jason Begger as its new executive director, replacing Loyd Drain who will step down at the end of next month.

A state authority in Wyoming is considering financing port projects in Oregon or Washington to strengthen Wyoming’s coal industry.

Standard & Poor's affirmed Wyoming's AAA issuer credit rating saying that ample reserves outweigh concerns over the state's dependence on revenues from volatile sources such as commodities and oil and natural gas deposits.

The U.S. Department of Interior disbursed $13.4 billion generated by energy production on federal land to states and tribes in fiscal year 2014, a 5.6% decrease from the previous year, officials said.