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The following was written and submitted by Travis Doshier of Rock Springs.
The Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor is a national and local treasure that is unique to this state. Development of this area could put this in jeopardy.
People want to continue to hunt and preserve big game without the commotion of busy roads and development in the Red Desert. As I see it, the Governor and Game and Fish are the ones who should voice this to the BLM to help them preserve this corridor.
The Department of Interior (DOI) is risking the future of our wildlife and open spaces by leasing crucial wildlife areas in their BLM quarterly lease sales. In 2018, more than 1.5 million acres were leased in Wyoming.
Fifteen thousand acres within the Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor were leased in the 3rdquarter sale, and currently, over fifty thousand acres within the corridor are on the table to be leased in this February’s supplemental oil and gas lease sale.
To conserve and prevent unnecessary damage to the migration corridor, the BLM needs to remove all of the leases proposed in these corridors in the February and March 2019 lease sales.