Wyoming lawmakers to consider tax on flaring
Wyoming legislative committee votes to begin drafting bill that would tax natural gas flaring
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Wyoming lawmakers will consider a proposal that would tax oil producers on the natural gas they burn off from their wells.
The interim Joint Revenue Committee voted Tuesday to have a bill drafted that would impose severance taxes on gas flared for more than 15 days.
Natural gas that comes up with oil is often burned off at the well by operators that don't have a system to capture and transport the gas. Operators say the flaring is better for the environment and for production since work would have to wait until a gathering system could be installed.
But others say the state is losing millions of dollars in potential tax revenue.
The committee will decide at a future meeting whether to sponsor a bill during the 2014 session.
