Cheyenne City Council puts an end to plastic bag ban

CHEYENNE — The Cheyenne City Council narrowly has voted down a largely criticized proposal to ban single-use plastic bags that became a cultural flashpoint in recent weeks.

More than 20 people came to speak at Monday night’s City Council meeting, where the ordinance was defeated on second reading by a 5-4 vote. Members of the public organized on Facebook, addressed the council online and appeared in person to share their distaste for the ban. Few people came before the council to show their support.

People who came to address the council about the ban, like Cheyenne resident Evan Williams, said the ban would betray the conservative values they associate with Wyoming.

“This is a red state,” Williams said. “Red, not blue. You guys are, you’re taking away a right. We should vote on this. Everything that we do, we should vote on. You guys should not have that right. ... I’m very, very upset about this because we watched what happened in Boulder.”

Williams later referenced another man who testified against the bill, Cheyenne resident Mark Moody. Moody has been posting on Facebook since the ban was first proposed to try and organize people to testify against the bill.

“(This has) unintended consequences,” Moody said at Monday’s meeting. “We will not be seen as business-friendly anymore. We’ve seen states like California and our neighbor Colorado, when they implement these policies, they’re not seen as business-friendly anymore. ... They’re going to say, ... ‘Are they gonna try to ban fracking like they’re trying to in California or Colorado?’”

Ward 2 Councilor Dr. Mark Rinne, one of the sponsors of the ordinance, said he helped push it forward because of the health and environmental concerns that come from microplastics and other harmful substances found in plastic.

“I do have a problem with plastics,” Rinne said. “Plastics do not break down, they fragment, but they do not degrade to harmless molecules. ... I know you all think plastic bags are important, but Lord knows what they’re doing to our health, and we don’t know what we don’t know, but it cannot be good. So, I have an issue of plastics, in general. If I had the power to eliminate or diminish the amount of plastic packaging out there, I would do it.”

People on both sides of the issue attempted to use concerns about environmental impact to support their position. While the few in favor said the bill would reduce plastic waste and harmful chemicals, those against the ban said there were already harmful plastics in other packaging and that this ban would not meaningfully change anything.

To address some of the concerns about the environment, the council called on Public Works Director Vicki Nemecek. Previously, Ward 3 Councilor Richard Johnson said he had drafted the ordinance because the Public Works Department had brought the issue back into his attention. Nemecek clarified the facts she and her staff knew about the harms of plastic, while stopping short of endorsing the ordinance.

“This is not a particular issue that I’ve brought up,” Nemecek said. “... I have said that airspace is our most valuable resource. I have said that we accept approximately 250 tons of municipal solid waste in our landfill daily. I have said that plastic bags and plastic sheeting are a significant concern in the recycle waste stream because of contamination, and we’d be fined ... for contamination.”

Rinne also proposed an amendment to the ordinance mentioned by Johnson at a committee meeting last week. The amendment would have removed the 10-cent fee for every paper bag sold to the consumer, but the amendment was voted down by the council.

Many constituents’ concerns with the ordinance had to do with the fee, in particular.

Shortly thereafter, the ordinance was voted down by the council. Ward 1 Councilor Jeff White said he would have supported the ordinance if it had not been imposing the fee, which he said would raise grocery prices for people during a time of economic hardship.

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Samir Knox is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s criminal justice and public safety reporter. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 307-633-3152. Follow him on Twitter at @bySamirKnox.