Mead’s Canada Trip Includes Visit to Port

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead plans to tour port facilities in British Columbia as he looks for ways to help export coal produced in the state overseas.

Mead will be leaving Wednesday on a weeklong trade trip to Canada.

Coal companies are looking at shipping coal mined in Montana and Wyoming to Asia through ports in Oregon and Washington. However, the idea has drawn opposition from people concerned about the environment and other effects.

Mead says he's not trying to play Canadian ports off the U.S. Pacific Northwest in trying to get port access for Wyoming coal.

He says both regions have similar coal shipping concerns and he wants to learn more about those concerns.

But the governor also notes that exports are important for the future of Wyoming's coal industry.