State Engineer’s Office Announces the Granting of the HF Sinclair Exchange Petition, S.E. Docket No. 2023-6-01, Carbon County, Wyoming

HF Sinclair Parco Refining LLC filed an exchange petition with the State Engineer’s Office on May 15, 2023, to allow continued diversion under the water rights associated with their refinery located at Sinclair, Wyoming while out of priority during an allocation priority call on the North Platte River in exchange for replacement water provided by stopping all irrigation diversion and beneficial use therefrom under water rights attached to the Encampment River Ranch, a separate property owned by HF Sinclair Parco Refining LLC located near Encampment, Wyoming.  An amended petition was filed on February 15, 2024.  The State Engineer’s Office reviewed and considered this exchange petition as directed by Wyoming Statute § 41-3-106.  Further, the State Engineer’s Office held a public meeting at the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga Wyoming on June 4, 2024 and accepted written comments regarding the petition until June 14, 2024.

Following a thorough and thoughtful review of the petition and the public comments that were received, the State Engineer granted this petition on October 14, 2024 and issued an open letter summarizing some of the reasoning and basis for his decision.  Copies of the petition, order granting the petition, and the open letter are available on the State Engineer’s Office website @   https://seo.wyo.gov/home/news-press-releases.