Wyoming officials not fans of new federal plan for Rock Springs field office

(The Center Square) – Gov. Mark Gordon is disappointed with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Rock Springs Field Office.

The Office manages millions of acres of public land and subsurface minerals in Wyoming, and the Plan is meant to guide BLM on how it will manage the areas. Wyoming has expectations of durable, multiple use of public lands, but Gordon issued a statement saying the RMP as well as a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) does not meet the state’s expectations.

“One quarter of the Field Office remains slated for area of critical environmental concern (ACEC) designation,” said the governor. “State agencies and I are still sifting through the details and looking at specific maps, management actions, and stipulations.”

People in southwestern Wyoming participated in a public comment process as well as a task force created by the governor. Gordon thanked people for their input, adding their comments and recommendations resulted in BLM not going with what the governor called its “preferred, absolutely unworkable, Alternative B.”

Gordon added that work is still needed to ensure BLM is staying within federal law as well as state and county policies.  Meanwhile, Wyoming is awaiting further details on how this RMP overlaps with a sage-grouse management plan amendment, in addition to BLM’s implementation of its latest Public Lands Rule.

“I will examine the FEIS closely, but make no mistake, the State of Wyoming will be filing protests where our comments were disregarded,” said the governor. “I will continue to identify any management decisions that are inconsistent with Wyoming law and policy in my upcoming consistency review.”

A 30-day protest period and 60-day Governor’s Consistency Review will begin once the FEIS is published in the Federal Register.

As outlined by Wyoming Wildlife Federation, there are four alternatives. A is Same as Before. B is the “preferred alternative.” C is Development Focused. D is a blend of Conservation & Development.

BLM is part of the United States Department Of The Interior.

By Chris Woodward | The Center Square contributor