BLM’s Rock Springs RMP Sparks Anger from PAW and Government Officials

The BLM's Rock Springs Field Office draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement is receiving harsh criticism from government officials and the Petroleum Association of Wyoming.

You can find the RMP here.

In an 18-page letter to Andrew Archuleta, the State Director for Wyoming's BLM, the board of PAW shared their shocked reactions, predicting stark socio-economic impacts:

"Even without considering the full impacts, the BLM anticipates its preferred management objective wil lcause a reduction in economic activity of $907 million annually, with 2,920 jobs lost, equating to $211 million less in labor earnings in the planning areas, per year" wrote PAW.

In September last year, Governor Gordon called for a complete withdrawal of the BLM's RMP Draft.

“Wyoming and local cooperators have worked long and hard to lead, build, and maintain partnerships for effective and responsible land management policies,” Governor Gordon stated. “Over a decade’s worth of contributions from local stakeholders, cooperators, counties, and state agencies are either falling on deaf ears or disingenuously being thrown by the wayside with this decision" he had said then of the draft.

Congresswoman Harriet Hageman also opposes the RMP draft, calling it "one of the largest land grabs we've ever seen," and says "The alternatives laid out in this plan will destroy Wyoming's local economy."

Lummis and Barasso, too, have also publicly decried the BLM proposal.

Said Lummis, “While I am not surprised by this misguided decision, I am disappointed this administration is prioritizing unnecessary red tape over well-designed policies established by our experts on the ground."

The public comment period for the draft ended yesterday. K2 Radio News reached out to Brad Purdy, the Deputy State Director and Communications for the Wyoming BLM.

"Public comment is the most valuable part of this whole process," said Purdy. There are over 20,000 comments to read, then it's back to the drawing board for the Wyoming State Office as they consider the input they've recieved.

"One of the things that has been lost in some of the controversery and misinformatin is the fact that no alternative is final until the final decision is issued. The BLM can shift between the range of alternatives. Until that Record of Decision is issued, we will continue to refine and listen to those comments or those protests until that decision is reached."