BLM ‘Wild Lands’ Pros and Cons: DOI Wants to Hear it All
Monday, February 7, 2011
CASPER, Wyo. - Opinions are running strong after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced restoration of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) authority to inventory areas as "wild lands" that then could be recommended to Congress for consideration as wilderness. Wyoming's Congressional delegation, governor and energy developers are against the move, citing concerns that oil and gas development projects could be delayed.
Rancher Bill Eikenberry, Wheatland, is a former associate state BLM director. He takes issue with that argument because, he says, since 1982 more than 230 million acres of public lands have been released for energy development leasing, yet most of that land has yet to be drilled.
"Not only does industry have a great amount of public land available to drill that has already been cleared for drilling, they are way behind on using the permits they already have."
The Rev. Warren Murphy, environmental projects director for the Wyoming Association of Churches, has long advocated recognizing and preserving the spiritual and cultural qualities of public lands. He points to another issue that may have been overlooked, which he thinks sets up a win-win situation: Once the inventory is done, it could pave the way for more development.
"What that does is release the rest of the designated areas, which have been studied, for general use. Which takes it off the wilderness approach."
About 220 million acres of land nationwide would be reviewed for wilderness qualities under the policy. A Department of the Interior spokesman said last week in Jackson that all concerns would be considered.
get more stories like this via email
Social Issues
Mississippi prisons often lack resources to treat people who are incarcerated with substance-use disorders adequately but a nonprofit organization is …
Social Issues
April is Second Chance Month and many Nebraskans are celebrating passage of a bipartisan voting rights restoration bill and its focus on second chance…
Health and Wellness
New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those n…
Social Issues
Residents in a rural North Carolina town grappling with economic challenges are getting a pathway to homeownership. In Enfield, the average annual …
Social Issues
A new poll finds a near 20-year low in the number of voters who say they have a high interest in the 2024 election, with a majority saying they hold …
Social Issues
A case before the U.S. Supreme Court could have implications for the country's growing labor movement. Justices will hear oral arguments in Starbucks …