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Climate change

Wyoming Republican Representative Harriet Hageman Faces Anger over Trump Administration Policy

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

At a town hall event in rural Pinedale, Wyoming, Representative Harriet Hageman faced an angry crowd as she attempted to justify the government's planned repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "endangerment finding" - a determination that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare. Hageman claimed the finding is based on "false science," sparking boos, heckles, and chants of "Lie, lie!" from the crowd. This is not the first time Hageman has faced such backlash, as she was also met with passionate boos in a town hall in Laramie, Wyoming, where she attempted to downplay the impact of the Trump administration's actions on Social Security. The incident highlights the challenges the Trump administration's policies face in Wyoming, a state that overwhelmingly voted for the Republican candidate in the 2024 election but now shows signs of growing concern over climate change and poor air quality.

Key Takeaways:

  • Representative Harriet Hageman attempted to justify the government's planned repeal of the EPA's "endangerment finding" at a town hall event in Pinedale, Wyoming, but was met with an angry and booing crowd.
  • Hageman claimed the endangerment finding is based on "false science" and that CO2 is not a pollutant, but this was disputed by the crowd and a local publication (WyoFile) which reported that the region has been struggling with poor air quality due to hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling.
  • The repeal of the endangerment finding is part of the Trump administration's hardline approach to climate change, which directly clashes with the views of 86% of Wyomingites who believe climate change is real and want action taken, according to a University of Wyoming poll.
  • Hageman has previously faced backlash at a town hall in Laramie, Wyoming, where she attempted to downplay the impact of the Trump administration's actions on Social Security.
  • Wyoming's strong support for Trump in the 2024 election (72.3% of the vote) appears to be at odds with the state's growing concern over climate change and air quality.

Statistics:

  • 72.3% of Wyoming voters supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election (source: local publication, WyoFile).
  • 86% of Wyomingites believe climate change is real and want action taken, according to a University of Wyoming poll (source: WyoFile).
  • 86% of Wyoming residents are concerned about the impact of climate change on water supplies (source: University of Wyoming polling).
  • Wyoming's natural gas fields use hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling, contributing to poor air quality in the region (source: WyoFile).

Sources:

  • Hageman's Facebook statement about the Pinedale town hall meeting (https://www.facebook.com/RepHageman/photos/i-just-completed-my-town-hall-in-pinedale-it-was-well-attended-with-a-spirited-c/727365370220579/?_rdr).
  • Video of Hageman at a town hall in Laramie, Wyoming (https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1902732281376129203).
  • WyoFile article on Hageman's town hall in Pinedale (https://wyofile.com/wyoming-crowd-boos-hageman-retort-that-protections-against-greenhouse-gases-based-on-false-science/).
  • WyoFile article on Wyoming's concern about climate change and air quality (https://wyofile.com/wyoming-warming-to-climate-change-reality-and-worried-about-water-uw-poll-finds/).
  • The Daily Beast article on Hageman's town hall (https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-rep-harriet-hageman-savaged-at-local-town-hall/).

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