Bureau of Land Management

Formal opposition trickled in this week over a federal proposal for managing millions of acres in southwest Wyoming. The general consensus? Not enough local input and federal overreach.

The Bureau of Land Management recently released its updated draft plan for overseeing energy development and conservation goals for the area. It comes one year after the initial draft was released that sparked outrage among many. We look at what’s in it and what’s to come.

Wildfires have burned homes and killed cattle this summer. Just this week, several new starts sparked evacuation orders in Campbell and Albany counties, and crews still have their hands full with the Fish Creek Fire on Togwotee Pass. Wyoming Public Radio’s Nicky Ouellet recently caught up with Jerod DeLay. He’s the state’s fire management officer. They talked about how this year stacks up and what we can expect for the rest of the season.

The plan opens up 31 million acres of public lands to solar development across 11 western states.

The long-awaited final Bureau of Land Management plan for the Rock Springs area was released this week. It attempts to appease stakeholders on all sides, after unprecedented controversy.

The guidance documents tell state and field office managers across the West how to carry out the new rule, which officially went into effect in June.

Anticipation is building for the forthcoming land-use plan for millions of federal acres in southwest Wyoming, and stakeholders are reiterating their desires.

In the Western U.S., the greater sage-grouse population continues to shrink because of wildfires, invasive plants, and energy development. A new survey shows most voters want to see stronger protections for the iconic, chicken-sized bird.

A dozen agriculture, mining, oil and gas organizations filed a lawsuit this month to overturn the rule, which elevates conservation in land-use decisions. They argue it undermines traditional uses.

Current estimates suggest more than 70,000 wild horses and burros roam the American West, about half of them in Nevada. That’s more than three times the number land managers say can safely co-exist with other animals on the open range.