Wyoming

Wyoming's Nesvik touts 'America first,' deregulation during his congressional hearing to lead Fish and Wildlife – WyoFile

Published

12 months ago

March 26, 2025

Wyoming's Nesvik touts 'America first,' deregulation during his congressional hearing to lead Fish and Wildlife – WyoFile

WASHINGTON—Making a case that he’s the right man to lead the federal agency that manages the nation’s wildlife, Brian Nesvik declared a childhood love for the furred, feathered and finned among us, and the wild habitats they depend upon.

“It would shape my life’s work,” Nesvik told members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works of his love for wildlife.

Testifying Wednesday from Capitol Hill’s Dirksen Senate Building, the longtime Wyoming resident also advertised the on-the-ground skills he’s developed as a rank-and-file warden, then chief warden, then director of the state’s Game and Fish Department.

“I know how to put tire chains on a 4-wheel-drive pickup in a snowstorm, and I’ve classified deer from a helicopter, and [I know] how to patrol some of America’s most remote and wild country from a horse,” Nesvik told West Virginia Republican Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito and other senators on the panel.

In February, Nesvik became the Trump administration’s nominee to direct the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a post that’s in charge of 8,000 employees and oversees a wildlife refuge system engulfing nearly 860 million acres. If confirmed, he’d follow in the footsteps of John Turner, a Fish and Wildlife Service director from a Teton County ranching family who led the agency in the early 1990s during the George H. W. Bush administration.

Confirmation hearings in U.S. Senate committees are often used by those in the political minority to poke holes in an appointee’s credentials and career, shining light on missteps and controversy. There was little criticism, however, directed Nesvik’s way from congressional Democrats. The most fired-up line of questioning came from Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who bashed the Biden administration for “70 executive orders” that he alleged were harming Alaskans.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, questions Brian Nesvik in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in March 2025. (Mike Koshmrl/WyoFile)

“The radical, far-left environmental groups want to crush my state,” Sullivan said. “Nobody ever wrote about that. It’s amazing. They’re not going to write about this, either.”

Eventually, the Alaska senator formulated a question: “Will you commit to work with me on implementing the president’s day one executive order — very long, very detailed — on unleashing Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential?”

Nesvik was direct.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I also look forward to visiting your state and learning about a lot of issues that you’re very passionate about.”

In his opening remarks, Nesvik said that President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda provides “immediate and transformational opportunities.”

“Simplifying regulations, accelerating permitting with technology, and relying more on education, voluntary compliance and verification, I share [Interior] Secretary [Doug] Burgum’s vision that innovation outperforms regulation,” Nesvik said.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. (Mike Koshmrl/WyoFile)

In a later exchange with chairwoman Moore Capito, the one-time game warden from Pinedale was asked about his past experiences working with Fish and Wildlife Service personnel who he’d be leading.

“Certainly, at times, there’s this natural tension and friction between state and federal agencies,” Nesvik testified. “Fish [and] Wildlife Service is guided and directed by congressional action and laws, as are state agencies. A lot of times those interests are conflicting.”

A bedrock of U.S. environmental law, the Endangered Species Act, can fracture states and federal relations — it’s an issue that in 2023 brought Nesvik to Washington, D.C., to testify. Two years later, he was asked whether he’d “commit to expediting” the ESA consultation process.

Nesvik said that he thought the consultation requirement was a “good component” of the ESA when it was enacted in 1975, but that there were “opportunities to be more prompt and timely.”

Nesvik was introduced by three of Wyoming’s highest political leaders, U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis and Gov. Mark Gordon.

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso passes by fellow Sen. Cynthia Lummis in a conference room of the Dirksen Senate Building in March 2025. The two were attending a confirmation hearing for Trump administration appointee Brian Nesvik, a Wyoming resident who’s been nominated to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Mike Koshmrl/WyoFile)

Lummis described him as “Wyoming’s real life Joe Pickett” — a nod to the C.J. Box book series about a game warden. Barrasso, a former Senate Environment and Public Works chairman, spoke highly of Nesvik’s professional credentials.

“I actually first met him when he served in the Wyoming Army National Guard — he’s been in the guard since ‘86,” the state’s senior senator said.

Gordon — who picked Nesvik to lead Game and Fish in 2019 — similarly touted the Trump administration’s nominee.

“Brian has taken part in and led Wyoming’s efforts to successfully recover some of the world’s most charismatic megafauna,” Gordon testified. “In Wyoming, that’s grizzly bears, grey wolves, as well as some of our treasured species that have [been] declared extinct, like black-footed ferrets.”

If confirmed, Nesvik could wind up leading the Fish and Wildlife Service with fewer Wyoming-based staff and resources because of the president who appointed him. The Trump administration’s Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has caused disarray within the agency, slashing staff that lead black-footed ferret recovery and run its Saratoga fish hatchery and angling to close the service’s tribal-focused Lander Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office.

Since the mass layoffs started in February there have been court-ordered rehirings, but the official toll of the cuts on Fish and Wildlife’s staffing and resources in Wyoming is unclear. Written questions sent in by WyoFile for several stories yielded only short statements from the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

Nesvik declined an interview for this story. He cited his still-pending confirmation, which must clear the entire U.S. Senate.

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Wyoming

Group asks judge to restore abortion rights, block Human Heartbeat Act

Published

5 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Group asks judge to restore abortion rights, block Human Heartbeat Act

A group of abortion access advocates are asking the Natrona County District Court to block the Human Heartbeat Act. The law went into effect on March 9 and bans most abortions at six weeks.

That’s because cardiac activity can be detected with a transvaginal ultrasound at about six weeks — a time when abortion advocates say many people don’t know they’re pregnant yet.

The motion to the court states that the new law involves the same “fundamental problem” as other abortion-related laws already being considered by the court.

They are asking to add the law to an ongoing case over separate laws, which would require building renovations at abortion clinics and require transvaginal ultrasounds 48 hours before an abortion. Both of those laws have been temporarily blocked.

“[The Human Heartbeat Act] transgresses the constitutional guarantee of Plaintiffs’ and individuals’ to make health care decisions without interference from the government,” says the document filed on the afternoon of March 10 by Robinson Bramlet LLC.

Wyoming Public Radio obtained the filing from Chelsea’s Fund, an abortion-rights nonprofit and one of the plaintiffs in the case — part of the same group that has been challenging the state for years to protect abortion access.

They recently won their case in the Wyoming Supreme Court, when the majority of justices decided to strike down two near-total abortion laws enacted in 2024, saying they violated residents’ right to make their own healthcare decisions, which is specifically protected in the Wyoming Constitution.

The Legislature quickly got to work on more anti-abortion legislation, such as the Human Heartbeat Act, which Gov. Mark Gordon signed on March 9. It carries an exception for cases where the health of the mother is in jeopardy, but not for rape or incest victims, which Gordon called an “unfortunate flaw.”

Chelsea’s Fund Executive Director Janean Forsyth said she was disappointed the state again restricted access to “vital care.”

“I’m thinking about everyone from the 15 year old that we supported, whose grandmother actually reached out, a victim of sexual assault,” Forsyth said. “I’m thinking about a family with a very wanted pregnancy that we supported in eventually seeking an abortion for a severe fetal anomaly.”

Forsyth added that abortion laws like this result in medical providers leaving the state.

“So it’s not only affecting access to abortion care, it’s affecting reproductive healthcare access generally for parents and children, which is really unfortunate,” she said.

Wellspring Health Access in Casper, the state’s only abortion clinic, is cancelling appointments with patients seeking to end their pregnancies later in their term, according to Executive Director Katie Knutter.

Speaker of the House Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) sponsored the law. He said he wasn’t surprised it was met with legal action, as that’s been the trend in recent years.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” Neiman said in a voicemail to Wyoming Public Radio after the lawsuit was filed. “And we’re going to move ahead and the people of the Legislature, Wyoming has spoken.”

Lawmakers decided against putting the issue directly before Wyoming voters as a constitutional amendment this fall. That’s after Gordon urged them to do so to end the legal cycle.

Neiman couldn’t be reached by publication time to comment on the decision to not pursue a constitutional amendment, but in a Jan. 26 town hall, he expressed worries that voters could codify the right to abortion.

In 2024, 64% of Nevada voters supported enshrining the right into the state constitution. A majority will have to vote in favor again later this year to recognize the right.

In his voicemail, Neiman added, “There’s folks out there that are completely good with killing kids, killing babies in the womb, and there’s other folks out here like the Legislature that are fighting desperately to preserve their lives.”

The abortion-rights group said it will ask the court to issue a temporary restraining order and block the new law while the legal challenge proceeds.

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Wyoming

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

Published

17 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

The top boys’ basketball players in Wyoming for Classes 1A and 2A were chosen for the 2026 high school season. The Wyoming Coaches Association has unveiled the all-state awards for this year, as voted on by the head coaches in the two classifications, respectively. The Wyoming Coaches Association only recognizes one team for all-state, and only these players receive an award certificate from the WCA. WyoPreps only lists all-state players as defined by the WCA.

WCA 1A-2A BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE SELECTIONS IN 2026

Each class selected 14 players for all-state, reflecting a broad recognition of talent across Wyoming. Notably, congratulations go to Hulett’s Kyle Smith, Brady Cook from Lingle-Fort Laramie, and Carsten Freeburg from Pine Bluffs, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year. In addition, eight more players achieved all-state status for the second time in their prep careers.

Class 1A

Paul McNiven – Burlington

Bitner Philpott – Burlington

Ammon Hatch – Cokeville (All-State in 2025)

Hudson Himmerich – Cokeville

Kyle Smith – Hulett (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Anthony Arnusch – Lingle-Ft. Laramie

Brady Cook – Lingle-Ft. Laramie (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Tymber Cozzens – Little Snake River (All-State in 2025)

Corbin Matthews – Lusk

Max Potas – Meeteetse (All-State in 2024)

Jace Westring – Saratoga

Hazen Williams – Saratoga

TJ Moats – Southeast (All-State in 2024)

Nic Schiller – Upton

Read More Boys Basketball News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps 1A-2A State Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps 3A-4A Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026

1A-2A Boys Basketball Regional Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 11 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-25-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-18-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

Class 2A

Caleb Adsit – Big Horn

Chase Garber – Big Horn

Carsten Freeburg – Pine Bluffs (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Mason Moss – Rocky Mountain

Oakley Hicks – Shoshoni

Kade Mills – Sundance

Cody Bomengen – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Zak Hastie – Thermopolis

Ellis Webber – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Joseph Kimbrell – Wright

Mitchell Strohschein – Wright (All-State in 2025)

Adriano Brown – Wyoming Indian

Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black – Wyoming Indian (All-State in 2025)

Cordell Spoonhunter – Wyoming Indian

The 2026 state champions were the Saratoga Panthers in Class 1A. They beat Lingle-Fort Laramie, 50-45, in the championship game. The 2A winners were the Thermopolis Bobcats, who repeated as champions, after a 45-38 victory over Wyoming Indian in the title game.

Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026

Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw

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Wyoming

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

A pair of bills signed into law last week aim to build out a more comprehensive system of literacy education across Wyoming’s public schools.

One mandates evidence-based practices and requires regular screenings for dyslexia, while the other enables the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) to hire a dedicated literacy professional to oversee statewide compliance.

Gov. Mark Gordon’s signing of both bills on Friday was the latest accomplishment of an ongoing push for improved literacy standards. That push has been spearheaded by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.

“Wyoming is not going to let a single child fall through the cracks,” Degenfelder said during a public bill signing last week. “We are not going to fall behind when it comes to ensuring that our children can read at grade level.”

The primary bill, Senate File 59, establishes a statewide K-12 program for teaching students to read that is built on “evidence based language and literacy instruction, assessment, intervention and professional development that supports educators, engages families and promotes literacy proficiency for all Wyoming students.”

The bill defines evidence-based strategies as those that conform to the science of reading, a term that will be defined and updated by Degenfelder’s office. Nationwide, it generally means putting academic research into practice in classrooms. SF 59 specifically prohibits the exclusive use of “three-cueing” — a strategy once widely employed to teach reading but which education experts now say is outdated and less effective than other strategies.

It also requires annual dyslexia screeners for students below the third grade, and testing for reading difficulties for all students.

The screeners are used to identify the severity of reading difficulties in order to direct “tiered” support that offers the most intensive interventions to the students most in need, while still providing “evidence based” language instruction to all students.

Each school district must formulate an individualized reading plan “for each student identified as having reading difficulties or at risk for poor reading outcomes.”

Districts must now report to the state annually regarding their literacy-related work. Any district where 60% or more of the students are struggling will be required to implement “summer literacy camps or extended supports, including after school support and tutoring.”

The bill also requires literacy related professional development for teachers and specialists “appropriate to their role and level of responsibility” related to literacy education.

SF 59 was backed by dyslexia advocates and literacy specialists.

Senate File 14, the other literacy bill signed into law Friday, appropriates $120,000 annually for the next two years for a full-time position at WDE “to assist school districts in implementing a reading assessment and intervention program and language and literacy programs.”

Both bills go into effect July 1.

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