Bill seeks quicker AML payments

WASHINGTON - A Senate committee has approved legislation that would allow states to collect abandoned mine land money with no strings attached.

The legislation, passed Thursday, would require the federal government to pay the dollars directly instead of through grants for which the states must apply.

The money comes from the abandoned mine lands program, which uses taxes on coal production to clean up abandoned mine sites and related pollution.

Both of Wyoming's senators, Republicans Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, have pushed the legislation. The state receives large amounts of money from the fund.

A similar House bill has not moved.

Federal pay for wolf kills closer

WASHINGTON - Legislation to compensate livestock owners whose animals are killed by wolves is one step closer to passage.

A Senate committee on Thursday approved a bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana and Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming to approve federal matching money for state trust funds that pay ranchers for those losses. The Bush administration has objected to the bill, saying the payments should be a state responsibility.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has pushed to remove gray wolves from protection under the Endangered Species Act. The federal agency wants to turn wolf management over to Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, where an estimated 1,500 wolves roam. A federal judge in Montana this summer blocked efforts to turn management over to the states.

Workers' comp meeting set

Lawmakers will meet in Casper to mull several proposals to increase benefits to workers injured on the job in Wyoming.

The Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee will meet Monday and Tuesday at the Central Wyoming Counseling Center (1430 Wilkins Circle). Discussion of Wyoming's workers' compensation program will begin at 10:55 a.m. Monday and continue into the afternoon.

Worker advocates held a forum in Gillette on Wednesday and urged workers, their families and others to contact legislators regarding the state's workers' compensation program. In recent years the program has amassed more than $1 billion in reserves while workers complain benefits are too low and the bureaucracy too rigid to properly serve injured workers.

The meeting is open to the public.

Gov. fills district court bench

GREEN RIVER - Former municipal judge and longtime district court commissioner Marvin Tyler of Green River has been tabbed by Gov. Dave Freudenthal to be a judge for the Ninth Judicial District Court in southwest Wyoming.

Freudenthal said Thursday that Tyler brings decades of knowledge of a broad nature to the position, including civil and criminal cases and mediation.

Tyler has served as a commissioner for the Third Judicial District since 1983, and he was a commissioner for the Sweetwater County Court from 1983-2001. He resigned each position briefly in 1998 to run for political office, but was later reappointed.