Town prepares for potential Colorado River curtailment

Town self-reports EPA water testing violation

EPA mandates additional water testing at second entry point

New planned unit development ordinance passes first reading

Two-lot subdivision approved following public hearing

Special council meeting set to finalize airport hangar costs

Council approves $129,000 engineering contract for pathway project

Town quashes rumors of new traffic lights on U.S. Highway 191

Town prepares for potential Colorado River curtailment

PINEDALE, Wyo. — With Colorado River management talks intensifying ahead of a new post-2026 operating framework, Pinedale officials are bracing for potential local impacts. Staff warned that Pine Creek could be regulated for the first time in history by the summer of 2026 to meet downstream demands. In response, the town has requested a $100,000 restricted fund in the upcoming budget to purchase a booster pump should the town need to pull emergency water from Fremont Lake's "dead pool." Officials are also navigating preliminary requests from regional irrigation districts seeking to lease the town's highly valuable, pre-compact direct-flow water rights.

Town self-reports EPA water testing violation

PINEDALE, Wyo. — The town will receive a "failure to monitor" violation from the Environmental Protection Agency after missing a required test for volatile organic compounds in 2025. Town water staff explained that a miscommunication involving an outside laboratory resulted in insufficient sample bottles being processed. Staff self-reported the oversight to the EPA and have already submitted the required 2026 samples to regain compliance. No fines will be levied, but the town must notify residents of the technical oversight in its annual water quality report.

EPA mandates additional water testing at second entry point

PINEDALE, Wyo. — Despite utilizing the same source water, the Environmental Protection Agency is now requiring Pinedale to conduct separate baseline water testing — including tests for asbestos and radionuclides — at a second distribution entry point because soda ash is added to the system. Town staff expressed frustration over the sudden mandate issued in late March, noting they had to overnight samples to a laboratory in North Carolina to meet a strict 48-hour testing window. Additionally, the town has opted to voluntarily continue annual lead and copper testing, rather than shifting to an EPA-allowed three-year cycle, to maintain accurate data trends and consistent access to residential testing sites.

New planned unit development ordinance passes first reading

PINEDALE, Wyo. — An ordinance creating a new "planned unit development" zoning classification passed its first reading in a 4-0 vote, a move aimed at offering developers more flexibility in town limits. The ordinance establishes a baseline for compliance regarding housing density, construction phasing and open space. However, town officials and the Pinedale Planning and Zoning Commission plan to tweak the language before the second reading to ensure developers cannot increase the physical footprint of housing units at the direct expense of required community open space.

Two-lot subdivision approved following public hearing

PINEDALE, Wyo. — Following a public hearing, the Pinedale Town Council unanimously approved a preliminary plat to divide a remnant parcel near the county golf course into two lots. The approval was granted on the condition that the developer, Inversiones Elrod, LLC, formally dedicates the streets to the town for public use on the final plat and upgrades a proposed sewer clean-out line to a full manhole, per Town Engineer Matt Bowers' recommendation.

Special council meeting set to finalize airport hangar costs

PINEDALE, Wyo. — The Pinedale Town Council will hold a special meeting Monday, April 20, to establish the guaranteed maximum price for a new airport hangar at Ralph Wenz Field and align the municipal budget with the final contract amount. Construction bids for sub-consulting closed last week, and officials are currently compiling the numbers. The project has already secured county building permits and fire marshal approval, though it is still awaiting final clearance from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality regarding the disposal of sand and oil separator waste.

Council approves $129,000 engineering contract for pathway project

PINEDALE, Wyo. — The Pinedale Town Council unanimously approved a $129,866 professional services agreement with Ardurra Group for construction administration on the phase one east-west pathway connectivity project. The project, backed by over $900,000 in funding, faced minor friction with the Wyoming Department of Transportation regarding a mandatory pre-bid meeting for contractors. Town officials argued that mandatory pre-bids often hurt local participation due to the region's small bidding pool, but WYDOT is currently insisting on the requirement to disburse the funds.

Town quashes rumors of new traffic lights on U.S. Highway 191

PINEDALE, Wyo. — Addressing a $4.1 million federally funded highway rehabilitation project on U.S. Highway 191, town officials clarified that no new traffic lights are slated for Pine Street downtown. The project, funded by an 80 percent federal and 20 percent state grant, will instead rely on crosswalk bulb-outs and restricted traffic flow to naturally slow vehicles. As part of the project, the Wyoming Department of Transportation will also conduct full-depth pavement rehabilitation and upgrade all Americans with Disabilities Act ramps along the corridor.

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