In a ceremony at the historic Old Faithful Inn last spring, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon helped kick off Yellowstone’s National Park’s 150th anniversary celebration. The May event came “with all the expectations of a stellar year for tourism,” he said.

However, a massive rainstorm followed in June and, combined with an unusual amount of melting snow, it flooded the northern portion of the park. Multiple roads were erased, making it impossible to access the park through the North and Northeast entrances.

“One of Wyoming’s most important economic sectors was facing a bust,” Gordon recalled during his Jan. 11 State of the State address.

However, he praised the quick response of Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly.

First, Sholly “worked with neighboring communities to make sure visitors to the park were evacuated — much to the surprise of the national press — without incident,” Gordon said.

The superintendent reopened much of the Wyoming portion of the park within nine days, and the Park Service and its contractors reconnected the park to its North and Northeast entrances before the close of the summer season.

While visits to Yellowstone still dropped significantly from 2021, Sholly’s “swift actions saved many Wyoming businesses and jobs that depend on visitation to America’s first and most iconic national park,” Gordon said. “Cam gets things done.”

The governor described Sholly as “Wyoming’s friend” and led the state lawmakers, other officials and audience members in giving the superintendent a standing ovation.

Gordon’s warm words for the Yellowstone leader contrasted with the criticism he levied against other federal officials, particularly in relation to anti-fossil fuel energy policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. For instance, Gordon said the administration “appears more interested in partnering with Saudi Arabia and Venezuela than they are with Wyoming” and “is a hostage to zealots that would risk third-world living conditions in order to meet their agenda.”

Gordon’s nearly hour-long address to the Legislature was built around five primary topics: people, natural resources, the budget, the economy and children.

Overall, Gordon said his speech was intended to highlight areas where Wyoming is leading the nation and to point out additional ways the state can lead through innovation.