CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming’s first-quarter economic report shows a modest recovery, but the news came out just a day after the unexpected closure of two coal mines in Campbell County put nearly 600 people out of work.
Chief economist Wenlin Liu said Tuesday the state gained 4,400 jobs from January through March, but a lot of them are related to construction of oil and gas pipelines and wind energy projects and are therefore temporary.
Liu says miners who lost their jobs with the closure of the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines are entering a job market in need of workers, but the jobs don’t pay as well. The Gillette News Record reports a bankruptcy judge on Wednesday rejected a financing proposal to keep the mines open while owners restructured debt.
The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports the state’s revenue increased by 7.6% in the first quarter.
___
Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.