ROCK SPRINGS — The Bureau of Land Management is set to propose an amendment to the 2024 Rock Springs Resource Management Plan and prepare an associated environmental assessment to review special management designations and evaluate mineral development opportunities across approximately 1.3 million acres of BLM-administered land in Fremont, Sublette, and Sweetwater counties.
The amendment responds to Executive Order 14154 and Secretarial Order 3418, both titled “Unleashing American Energy,” which direct federal agencies to reassess policies that may unnecessarily restrict access to domestic energy and mineral resources. The BLM determined that existing mineral restrictions and special management designations within the Rock Springs Field Office require reevaluation under these orders.
“This amendment is about striking a better balance,” Acting Wyoming BLM State Director Kris Kirby said. “We are initiating a transparent public process to assess how we can support multiple-use management, meet current energy demands, and honor the unique ecological, cultural and recreational values of that make these lands unique.”
The planning area contains twelve Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, five Special Recreation Management Areas, a National Historic Trails corridor, and thirteen Wilderness Study Areas. The BLM will reexamine these designations to determine whether special management is still warranted and where development may be appropriate. The amendment will also consider advances in technology, evolving industry interest, and updated mineral potential data.
The public scoping period begins today and will close in 30-days or 15-days after an in-person public meeting. While the agency is accepting public comments, the BLM is unable to address those comments until the lapse in appropriations ends. The BLM encourages participation from local communities, Tribes, industry, and stakeholders throughout the process. Public comments will help identify relevant issues and inform the development of alternatives in the environmental assessment. The BLM is also accepting nominations for new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.
This landscape is of significant natural, cultural, and economic importance. The BLM is committed to considering a full range of public input while meeting its mission to manage public lands for the benefit of current and future generations.
Additional information is available at the BLM National NEPA Register, where comments may be submitted through the “Participate Now” option.
Governor Comments on Review
Gov. Mark Gordon complimented the approach in a statement sent to state media after the BLM announced is plan.
“The Notice of Intent published following the BLM’s announcement earlier this year is another important step in providing a true multiple-use plan for the Rock Springs area. It is good now to see the BLM’s amendment approach — including open public comment. I am confident this process will provide opportunity to address drastic flaws without restarting this decade-long effort. I encourage everyone impacted by this RMP to participate and see this plan to its conclusion,” Gordon said.
Not Everyone is Supportive of the Amendment
The Wyoming Chapter of the Sierra Club issued a condemnation of the attempt to amend the Rock Springs RMP.
“BLM’s decision to amend the Rock Springs RMP is a short-sighted attempt to undo over a decade of work, and remove critical protections for our wildlife and cultural resources. The plan was a compromise between many different Wyoming communities who have weighed in over the years and, now, before the agency even has time to implement it, we’re being asked to weigh in again. It’s time to listen to the science and to the public and let the plan live,” Chapter Director Rob Joyce said.
