Pres. Trump’s plan to “unleash American energy” is hitting the sea of sagebrush in southwest Wyoming. But some say federal staffing shortages could throw a wrench in the process.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) alerted agencies this week that it plans to issue a Notice of Intent to amend the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP). Many anticipated this notice following Trump’s executive order to prioritize energy development and the U.S. Dept. of Interior Sec. Doug Burgum’s similar order.
The updated land use plan for millions of acres around Rock Springs was finalized late last year. Many saw it as an attempt to balance energy development and wildlife conservation after a lot of public outcry over the first draft. For example, the final version kept 70% of the land open to oil and gas activities, but added habitat protections in the Greater Little Mountain area and the Golden Triangle.
Wyoming even convened a task force of stakeholders to provide suggestions for the final draft, such as adding protections for big game migration routes and keeping much of the land open to energy development. One analysis from the Wyoming Outdoor Council, Wilderness Society and Wyoming Wilderness Association indicated 80% of those recommendations were included in the BLM’s final plan.
Despite this, Wyoming political leaders still felt the plan came down too hard on industry. Gordon applauded the BLM for reopening the RMP.
“I am encouraged that this process is beginning,” he said in a press release. “This is an opportunity to correct a flawed document, and I am confident that the process will be honest and responsive.”
Aaron Weiss, deputy director for the conservation group Western Priorities, said the timeline of the planned changes is unusual.
“Resource management plans are designed to last for 15 or 20 years, so it's not uncommon to have revisions along the way, either for new information about wildlife or additional uses that need to happen,” he said. “But it is exceptionally unusual to reopen a resource management plan just a couple months after it was finalized.”
Weiss said frequent changes make it hard for ranchers, hunters, hikers and the oil and gas industry to plan for how to use the land.
He added making changes takes BLM workers, many who were hit by DOGE cuts. Also, several leadership positions are vacant, such as no national BLM director and the Wyoming director is on leave.
“Without having anyone in the building, either in Washington or in the Wyoming State Office, it's very hard to know how this is going to shake out,” Weiss said.
He worried shortcuts could hit the environmental review process, and that could be tied up for years in court.
In an emailed statement, the BLM said there’s no timeline for Rock Springs’ amendment process and didn’t comment on staffing shortages.
