Home construction lags as Wyoming economy limps on

Residential building permits in Wyoming are down nearly 13 percent compared to last year.

State economist Jim Robinson blames the decrease on the downturn in the state’s energy industry.

Robinson noted a 48 percent drop in residential building permits in Casper alone.

There were 1,316 new residential building permits issued statewide through September this year compared to 1,507 permits issued at the same point last year. The decline in residential construction came in new single family homes.

Robinson tells the Casper Star-Tribune that areas that don’t rely on mining are doing better. Cheyenne has seen an 11 percent climb in new building permits over the last year. Robinson says Cheyenne has a diverse private sector built on transportation, financial services and high-tech.

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Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com