ROCK SPRINGS – Gov. Mark Gordon submitted his consistency review for the Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs RMP Tuesday, claiming the BLM’s work is inconsistent with existing federal and state laws.

The review is the final input the state has before the BLM makes its final changes and issues a Record of Decision. Gordon had a 60-day review period to draft the consistency review. 

“Since the BLM announced their draft RMP back in August of 2023, Wyoming’s state agencies, counties, industries, and stakeholders have all worked tirelessly to wrangle this document into a workable, legal, and durable land management plan,” Gordon said in an emailed statement. “Following a careful review, I firmly believe that the BLM’s work here is inconsistent with existing federal and state laws, as well as county policies. It appears to be driven by a national political agenda, not the cooperative process between states, counties and the federal government envisioned in the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA). Moving from an untenable to an unworkable decision does not make their decision any more consistent.”

Gordon had 60 days to complete and submit the consistency review after the BLM released its Final Environmental Impact Statement. Wyoming agencies submitted protest letters following the 30-day protest period offered through the National Environmental Protection Act process.

“From BLM special designations such as ‘Areas of Critical Environmental Concern’ and National Historic Trail corridors, to the need to acknowledge the primacy of the State over our wildlife, water, and air, my Consistency Review provides the blueprint for the BLM to finally deliver a RMP that most stakeholders can live with. I encourage the BLM to closely review and follow my recommendations.”

While Gordon says the BLM’s plan is inconsistent with federal and state law, conservation groups are saying the BLM listened to local residents and commenters throughout the nation when it modified its plan for lands administered by the Rock Springs Field Office. The Wyoming Outdoor Council, The Wilderness Society and the Center for Western Priorities released findings last week they say showed a commitment to the public process.

The groups’ findings claim the BLM followed more than 80% of the recommendations issued by Gordon’s task force he established to address the BLM’s initial recommended management plan. That task force was created with representatives of various interest groups and included local representation. That group found consensus with more than 100 recommendations, which were then delivered to Gordon and submitted to the BLM in January. 

The groups also conducted a review that they say suggest 92% of all public comments supported conservation measures. The Wilderness Society received more than 35,000 public comments, which allowed the Center for Western Priorities to analyze the portions that were in favor and against conservation of land, wildlife habitats and other areas. According to the groups, The Center for Western Priorities’ review used a combination of “automated and manual classification of comments” to categorize them as supportive, opposed, or neutral on the management plan. The random sample of 5,000 comments have a margin of error of 1%, with 92% of the comments supporting conservation measures, 6% opposed and 1% neutral or unavailable in the records the BLM released. 

“It’s a really robust data set and a very robust sample size to give you an idea of just how much support there was,” Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities said in an emailed statement. “ I think it really shows the point that, as controversial as some folks in Wyoming wanted to paint this plan, that it was incredibly divisive – when you look at the numbers it was not at all divisive. I can’t think of any major public policy issue that comes across the finish line with 92% public support. That is really a stunning number and I think a testament to how much listening BLM did, both at the agency level, and especially at the field office level, to work in public feedback and comment into this proposed management plan.”

The BLM’s final Record of Decision is expected to be issued by the end of the year.