public lands

The resolution to hand over wide swaths of public land failed after a bumpy ride in the Senate.

The Trump administration is ordering to unleash American energy on public lands. That includes reviewing the recently approved management plan for 3.6 million acres around Rock Springs, as well as other high profile areas in Wyoming. But some speculate any rescinding of the plans would face legal battles.

Two representatives from our region are seeking to strip presidential powers to designate national monuments and historic landmarks. But Indigenous communities caution the effort could remove a safeguard for sacred lands and pave the way for development.

Public lands advocates worried that allowing Utah’s case to move forward would threaten to upend management of 200 million acres of public lands across the West.

Environmental groups are worried that a short portion of the recently adopted US House rules package could expedite the transfer of public land to states – and ultimately to private entities.

In case you missed it over the holidays, the federal government released its final decision for how to manage millions of acres of public land in southwest Wyoming. The plan is over a decade in the making. Reactions from state politicians are very unhappy. Many are looking to a Trump administration for relief, but that route isn’t clear.

The Department of Justice says Utah gave up the rights to the federal lands within its boundaries when it joined the union in 1896.

If the U.S. Supreme Court hears the case, it could drastically change the ownership and management of public lands across the West.

The U.S. Forest Service has historically faced demands that exceed its budget and workforce capacity. And now, looming congressional budget cuts are only putting a finer point on this. That likely means looking for creative solutions for maintaining these public lands, which is nothing new for the third largest forest in the lower 48 – the Bridger-Teton. They’ve worked closely with a nonprofit to fill in some critical gaps. It’s a relatively novel concept in the forest world.

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.