The Wilderness Society | Audubon Rockies | Wyoming Outdoor Council | Wyoming Wilderness Association | Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter | Conservation Lands Foundation | Wyoming Interfaith Network
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (Aug. 22, 2024) — The Bureau of Land Management issued its proposed Rock Springs Resource Management Plan, which will ultimately guide forward-thinking management for nearly 3.6 million acres of public land in southwestern Wyoming for the next two decades. The plan includes conservation for important landscapes, including the Northern Red Desert, Big Sandy Foothills and Greater Little Mountain (see map below). These lands are very special to residents of Wyoming and many across the nation, and the much-needed management updates are encouraging. The release of the proposed plan kicks off a 30-day public protest period and a 60-day review period for Governor Mark Gordon.
The following is a statement from Julia Stuble (Wyoming state director for The Wilderness Society) in response to the news:
"We’re heartened to see that the BLM truly listened to public input over the last year and weighed varied interests with such diligence and care. The proposed Rock Springs RMP will help safeguard world-renowned wildlife habitats in the Northern Red Desert and Big Sandy Foothills, plus important cultural areas and hunting, fishing and OHV access. It balances local infrastructure and energy needs with our obligation to steward these special lands for future generations and protect our Wyoming way of life.
We do still have some concerns with the plan. Among other things, the Rock Springs RMP doesn’t adequately protect stopover and highly used portions of big game migration corridors and we believe the Red Desert to Hoback corridor deserves greater recognition. While the plan would largely disallow oil and gas and mining in the Northern Red Desert and Big Sandy Foothills, the entirety of these landscapes should be off-limits. But overall, the plan represents a step toward more holistic and thoughtful management of these public lands. We commend the agency’s professionals for their dedication to working through these complex challenges and urge them to carefully consider how the RMP can be strengthened further between now and when the record of decision is issued.”
Wyoming residents and public lands advocates responded to the plan:
“I treasure the serenity and enlightenment I’ve experienced in the Northern Red Desert while conducting annual bird surveys. I know I’m not alone in feeling passionate about this wild country and the wildlife who call it home. It’s a relief for many of us to know new drilling won’t be allowed in much this area,” said Andrea Orabona, a retired Wyoming Game and Fish Department nongame bird biologist and president of Red Desert Audubon Society. “Hundreds of wildlife species depend on the sagebrush habitats in the Northern Red Desert and Big Sandy Foothills. To ensure the long-term viability of these populations we must limit disturbances, because typically, once habitat has been altered by development, wildlife loses in the end. It’s up to us to ensure that doesn’t happen here, so I applaud the BLM for proposing to conserve this incredible area.”
“It can be challenging to balance economic needs in a mineral-reliant county with preserving wild lands. The BLM has hit the bullseye with this proposal,” said Mark Kot, a retired Sweetwater County public land planner. “The proposed plan acknowledges the long-term needs of the trona industry; chooses low-conflict areas for renewable energy projects and transmission lines; and prohibits speculative leasing and drilling in areas where there’s very low oil and gas potential, like much of the Northern Red Desert and Big Sandy Foothills. With this plan, we can sustain our local communities and maintain the special places we rely on.”
“The Northern Red Desert is a timeless space of spiritual significance where the majesty of creation is revealed. The BLM clearly heard the calls from so many passionate voices who have come together in support of this area,” said The Reverend Annemarie Delgado, Executive Director of Wyoming Interfaith Network. “These wild lands offer spiritual solace in the modern world and deserve safe-keeping.”
“I’m frequently out in the Northern Red Desert with friends, family, and out-of-town visitors and no matter how often we visit, we are stunned by what we see, like abundant wildlife, and what we don’t see, like traffic or many other people. On a recent trip, we watched dozens of pronghorn with their young bounding over the sagebrush and saw sage grouse and other birds. The wildlife have space to breathe out there, and so do we,” said Marjane Ambler, a journalist from Atlantic City, Wyoming. “For years, community members have spoken up in favor of conserving this area, and it’s so satisfying that now the BLM has listened, and everyone who comes after us will be able to experience this iconic Wyoming landscape just like we have: wild and free.”