GREEN RIVER – If pleas to withdraw its controversial draft Resource Management Plan and comments made by local stakeholders are ignored, Wyoming will take the Bureau of Land Management to court. 

Gov. Mark Gordon, speaking with Al Harris on KUGR’s “Let’s Talk” public affairs program Monday, said he’s hopeful about a positive resolution with the BLM, but is looking at options if that resolution does not occur, including filing a suit against the agency.

“We are prepared to go to court, if necessary, to protect our interests,” Gordon said.

The BLM’s preferred management alternative focuses on conservation and is one of four alternatives under review by the agency. Following the public release of its draft RMP, the BLM received near-universal criticism from local and state officials for its preferred alternative and the plan’s perceived impacts to Sweetwater County’s social and economic interests.

With nearly a month until the BLM’s Nov. 16 public comment deadline, Gordon is telling residents not to feel like their voice doesn’t matter when it comes to action by the federal government. 

“People shouldn’t give up,” he said.

He said his office is working to provide residents with education about how to provide substantive comments, which the BLM utilizes to modify its draft RMP. Residents looking to submit written comments to the organization can utilize these guidelines to ensure their comments meet requirements. He said those comments can also help a potential court case between the state and BLM. Additional information about the BLM’s plans and how residents can comment can be found here.

The state is looking at potential funding mechanisms to draw money from to file a court challenge. Gordon also said the state has funds available for local governments looking at filing court challenges. Additionally, Gordon said his office will also push back against the BLM’s proposed plan during his office’s consistency review after the public comment period ends.. 

One of the more spoken-about aspects of the plan is a paragraph that refers to the closure of more than 10,000 miles of trails and roads in the Rock Springs Management Area. The BLM has previously said this addition was a mistake in the draft and none of the alternatives floated by the agency involve mass closure of trails and roads. However, many have taken a skeptical stance on comments made about paragraph being erroneously placed and would be removed, including Gordon.

“The ‘trust me’ approach is problematic,” he said.