Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport reacts to government shutdown

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE)— A government shutdown is now in effect, but the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport is not taking the shutdown lying down.

“This political dysfunction has become the new norm, and it is unacceptable,” Airport Director Devon Brubaker said in a Sept. 28 Facebook post.

Brubaker said the airport’s commitment remains unchanged, noting the safety and security of the traveling public come first.

“Federal partners such as TSA and FAA will still be required to show up for work, even without a paycheck, because they are deemed ‘essential,’” he stated in the post. “While that means immediate day-to-day impacts at the airport should be minimal, the human toll on these employees, and the ripple effects on our community, will grow with every day this shutdown drags on.”

Brubaker said Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport isn’t just about points of departure, it is about “vital economic engines.”

According to Brubaker, U.S. airports generate $1.8 trillion in economic output each year.

“A prolonged shutdown threatens to erode that strength, undermining jobs, investment, and the connectivity that keeps local communities like ours competitive,” he said. “We will do everything we can, alongside our incredible community, to support the TSA officers and other federal employees who will be working without pay.

“Should the shutdown continue for more than a few days, we will likely make a call for donations of key items that TSA employees may need for themselves and/or their families,” Brubaker said. “Stay tuned to our social media for this.”

This story was published on Oct. 4, 2025 .