This fall, Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead presided over the opening of the $70-million National Center for Atmospheric Research west of Cheyenne, while also formulating a new energy strategy. The state’s more than 42 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves continue to play a major part in energy strategy and in the atmosphere, not to mention the state’s high-ranking business climate and fiscal soundness.
Government cutbacks spur site selectors to seek locations with strong balance sheets. A new era of fiscal austerity — from the federal level on down — is prompting site selection consultants to steer an increasing number of projects toward destinations that have their financial houses in order.
Fresh from a trade mission to Germany, Sandra Pupatello, Ontario’s minister of trade and economic development, says she fielded lots of questions from business people about the economic state of things in North America.