Federally protected land in Wyoming could increase by more than 1.3 million acres under a newly proposed management plan — a possibility that’s cause for celebration among some, and a reason for consternation among others.

The Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Office published a draft resource management plan last week that proposes to increase the acreage of land protected under the “Area of Environmental Concern“ (ACEC) designation from the current 286,470 acres to more than 1.6 million acres total.

The plan hasn’t been updated since 1997. The current update has been in process since 2010. The proposal lays out the BLM Rock Springs Field Office’s management plan for about 3.6 million acres of surface land and 3.7 million acres of mineral estate in Wyoming.

The draft includes various potential plans. But the BLM’s preferred alternative takes “a little bit more of a conservation approach,” Wyoming BLM spokesperson Micky Fisher said — the agency’s recommended approach is the most aggressive in terms of increasing the acreage of lands with the ACEC designation, which the BLM uses to protect natural and cultural resources.

The three alternative plans are significantly less conservation-oriented.

One proposal, “Alternative A,” would continue the existing 1997 resource management plan with the same ACEC acreage. Another plan, “Alternative C,” emphasizes resource use and is the least restrictive. This alternative would eliminate all ACEC designations. The last option, “Alternative D,” falls somewhere between emphasizing resource use and the BLM’s preferred conservation approach. It would decrease the ACEC acreage from 286,470 acres to 246,634 acres.

The BLM could also potentially modify any of these approaches before the plan is finalized.

Although the agency itself can nominate areas for the ACEC designation, Fisher said in an email that all the ACECs in the proposed Rock Springs resource management plan came from the public. The BLM is required to review all nominations.

Some of the areas that the plan proposes to protect under the ACEC designation include the Cedar Canyon Petroglyph rock art site and its surrounding area, Steamboat Mountain, the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape, the Big Sandy Foothills and the Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor, which receives some protections already from the state.

The potential impact of these ACEC designations would vary depending on why the designation was given. It could restrict wood cutting and motorized or non motorized vehicle travel. It could impact livestock grazing. It could bar the development of oil, gas and other natural resource extraction, with the exception of projects that are already underway — the plan, for example, proposes stopping oil and gas leasing in part of the Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor.

Conservation groups in Wyoming applauded the BLM’s preferred management plan.

Alec Underwood, program director for the Wyoming Outdoor Council, which nominated the Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor for ACEC designation, said the plan is “reflective of community values” and “really protective” of the values that the organization advocates for.

“We know Wyomingites value wildlife and iconic wildlife species,” Underwood said.

“When you look at the different special designations of the draft plan and the inclusion of a lot of the ACECs, as well as the management direction, it’s relatively protective of habitat for Wyoming’s iconic species like mule deer, elk, pronghorn and sage grouse, just to name a few.”

Julia Stuble, the Wyoming senior manager for The Wilderness Society, noted in particular that the Northern Red Desert and Big Sandy foothills, which fall under potential ACEC designation in the proposal, have “really outstanding wildlife habitats, migration corridors and outstanding recreational potential.” They are also areas of cultural significance for tribal nations.

“These are really special lands that make Wyoming Wyoming,” Stuble said. The preferred management plan, she added, “is spot on the mark” in terms of making sure these lands “stay the same for future generations.”

Though the Wilderness Society emphasized that potential for oil and gas development in this area and others with a proposed ACEC designation is considered low, Ryan McConnaughey, vice president of the Wyoming Petroleum Association, said this potential and the likelihood of profitability “depends on each company’s operations and the technology they’re using.”

McConnaughey, who described the BLM’s preferred plan as “frustrating,” said he thinks there are better ways to “balance conservation and production,” particularly given advancements in horizontal drilling technology. (The ACECs proposed in the BLM’s preferred plan would prevent sub-surface drilling for fluid mineral resources like oil and gas. Existing oil and gas leases wouldn’t be affected.)

“Locking up this land forever is not really a smart move,” he said.

(The BLM can reevaluate and roll back ACEC designations in future resource management plans. Those changes would have to go through the same public review and feedback process.)

McConnaughey said in a follow-up email that the Petroleum Association of Wyoming is still reviewing all the alternatives and can’t say yet which one it prefers.

“In general, we would support an alternative that supports sustainable development of Wyoming’s resources and takes into account advancements in technology, improved industry practices and the long-term security and financial needs of Wyoming and the United States,” he said.

Gov. Mark Gordon pushed back against the BLM’s proposal too, saying in a statement last week that, on first glance, he was “extremely disappointed” with the draft. He lamented that a decade of input from agencies, locals and industries “seems to have fallen on the deaf ears of the federal BLM and its imperious agenda.”

Gordon clarified in a statement to the Star-Tribune that he believes the BLM’s preferred alternative isn’t consistent with Congress’ multiple use mandate and doesn’t fairly balance competing interests.

“It is now imperative that those affected by the draft proposed plan become actively engaged by providing thorough, thoughtful comments supporting a balanced approach providing conservation, recreation, grazing, and development vital to the economy of that area of the state, such as trona, coal, oil, gas and other mineral deposits,” Gordon said.

Rep. Scott Heiner, R-Green River, and Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, co-chairmen of the Legislature’s Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee, also lambasted the BLM’s proposal, calling it “a direct threat to our citizen’s (sic) livelihoods.”

To be clear, this proposal is just that: a proposal.

Fisher stressed that at this point, “all options are still totally on the table,” and if people oppose the BLM’s preferred plan, they should provide their feedback now. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the agency has to go through this feedback process and take steps to integrate any actionable comments.

“If we get enough feedback to maybe change the alternative, that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Fisher said.

“We’re not trying to drive the ship by any means. This is for the American taxpayer to drive, and this is the opportunity to do it right now.”

The public can give feedback on the proposal through Nov. 16. The BLM will hold public meetings in Rock Springs, Lyman and Big Piney (the dates and times for these meetings haven’t been nailed down yet but will be posted on the BLM WY Facebook page).

Members of the public can also submit comments online by clicking on the green “Participate Now” tab on the left of the page at this link: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/13853/510.

The governor will also have a 60-day review period after the public participation part of the process is finished. During that time, Gordon can provide recommendations for the plan to the BLM state director.

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