DECEMBER 17, 2024 |
Photo – Rock Springs field office – Bigfoot99 file photo
Governor Mark Gordon, on Monday, submitted a formal appeal of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) response to his Governor’s Consistency Review on the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP) Revision.
This is the final step available for the state, through National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) input process, before the BLM makes their final changes and signs a Record of Decision (ROD). Governor Gordon characterized the federal agency’s response as “perfunctory,” meaning it was made with little thought or care.
In the letter dated Friday, December 13, 2024, the governor states, “The proposed RMP does not balance National and State interests. Instead of a thoughtful review, the State Director’s response inaccurately paraphrased several key arguments, was unresponsive to many issues identified, and contained several other errors,” reads the introduction of Governor Gordon’s response to BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning in Washington, D.C.
In a statement Monday, the governor said Wyoming has no choice but to appeal the agency’s response.
Governor Gordon noted that the Biden-Harris Administration was “more concerned about pushing out an agenda-driven document to make a political point before leaving office, rather than collaborating with the State, counties, and locals on responsible and durable land management policy.” The Governor said Wyoming now will look to President Trump and a Republican congress to bring “some much-needed balance to resource management.”
The BLM’s decision will likely be addressed early in the Trump Administration which begins in a little over a month from now. The BLM’s final Record of Decision is expected to be released prior to the change in presidential leadership.
