Rock Springs to pull money from Bank of West

(WNE) — The city council in Rock Springs voted Tuesday to pull their funds from the Bank of the West after the company’s announcement it will sever its ties with much of the fossil fuel energy industry.

The bank recently announced it will not do business with companies whose main business is tied to oil and gas production from shale or tar sands, will not finance oil and gas exploration or production in the Arctic and will not finance coal mines that are not involved in “energy transition.”

Rock Springs Mayor Carl Demshar, Councilmen Tim Savage, Billy Shalata, David Tate, Rob Zotti and David Halter and Councilwomen Rose Mosbey and Glennise Wendorf voted in favor. 

Councilman Jason Armstrong was absent. 

Demshar said it’s not good for an organization like Bank of the West to say it will no longer support industries in a community like Rock Springs that are mineral or extraction based.

The Worland City Council also voted Tuesday to pull its funds from Bank of the West.