Sponsors
Introduced February 21, 2025 by Harriet Hageman · Last progress February 21, 2025
The bill protects and clarifies management for large tracts of Wyoming public land—locking in conservation, recreation, and wildfire‑management benefits while restricting many forms of energy and development and expanding some motorized access, producing clear local environmental and recreational gains but also economic, administrative, and access trade‑offs.
Rural residents and visitors gain long‑term protection and public access for roughly 116,189 acres (combined wilderness, conservation, and special management areas), preserving wildlife habitat, scenic landscapes, and recreational opportunities.
Residents who use motorized recreation (and other recreational users) gain designated areas and required travel‑management plans that provide predictable riding zones, reduce user conflicts, and formalize where motorized access is allowed.
Local communities and state agencies get formal coordination and new authority for timely fire, insect, and disease control on affected federal lands, which can reduce large wildfire risk and protect adjacent lands and infrastructure.
Local developers, utilities, and clean‑energy companies lose or face strict limits on wind, solar, mining, transmission, and other development across large protected areas, reducing local economic and infrastructure opportunities.
Allowing oil and gas leasing and releasing some Wilderness Study Areas increases the likelihood of local pollution, traffic, and greenhouse gas emissions, with local health and broader climate costs.
Expanding motorized recreation, fencing, and related infrastructure can fragment habitat, increase noise and dust, and degrade wildlife and non‑motorized recreation experiences for residents and visitors.
Based on analysis of 10 sections of legislative text.
Creates multiple new land designations in Wyoming: five wilderness areas, a National Conservation Area, a motorized recreation area, and several Special Management Areas. It releases some previously studied wilderness study lands for other uses, sets specific restrictions (on mining, leasing, roads, and motorized use), and requires the Interior Department to complete studies, travel and fire management plans, and land‑exchange and recreation planning work within set deadlines tied to enactment.