Governor Gordon Criticizes BLM Greater Sage-grouse Amendment for Devaluing State Expertise

From: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
November 8, 2024

Governor Gordon expressed dissatisfaction on Nov 8th, with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Final Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Greater Sage-grouse Land Use Plan Amendments and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Final EIS applies to all BLM administered land in Wyoming.

The Governor has issued the following statement:

As expected, the sage-grouse amendments’ final form did not take into account the state’s most substantial comments that were informed by decades of expertise in Greater sage-grouse management in Wyoming. Three Wyoming governors have demonstrated their commitment to sage-grouse over the past 16 years. Wyoming is the stronghold of sage-grouse in the West, with millions of acres of valuable sage-grouse habitat; we have shown how to successfully manage this bird and do so in a way that allows for protection of core habitat alongside responsible development.

It is unfortunate the BLM’s approach and plan altogether ignores Wyoming’s leadership, experience, and knowledge with regard to management of both sage-grouse populations and habitat. BLM’s planning efforts reflect extreme indifference to the primacy vested in Wyoming’s exclusive authority to manage sage-grouse populations.

The document offered to Wyoming on Nov 8th, is a product of a process that devalued state-generated science and collaboration. As we digest the document fully and develop our response, our priority will be to defend the state’s management authority of sage-grouse under the Executive Order. Additional layers of federal regulation on top of state management will hinder our ability to develop practical, workable solutions, without perceivably benefitting neither sage-grouse nor its habitat. I am hopeful that as we move into a new Trump Administration that we can shape a functional Record of Decision in the New Year. Wyoming has been and remains committed to the long-term well-being and management of Greater Sage-grouse.

The Governor will lead state agencies through a Protest response in addition to his Consistency Review, due Dec. 16, 2024 and Jan. 7, 2025 respectively.

Latest News

Governor Gordon Criticizes BLM Greater Sage-grouse Amendment for Devaluing State Expertise

From: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
November 8, 2024
Governor Gordon expressed dissatisfaction on Nov 8th, with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Final Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Greater Sage-grouse Land Use Plan Amendments and… Read More

Governor Gordon Supports Pending Sale of Kelly Parcel for Purchase of Federal Oil and Gas Lands

From: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
November 7, 2024
Governor Mark Gordon led the way to a successful vote by the State Board of Land Commissioners (SBLC) on Nov 7th, authorizing the sale of a parcel of state trust land, the “Kelly Parcel”,… Read More

Gov. Justice Appoints First Lady Cathy Justice to State Board of Education

From: West Virginia Governor Jim Justice
November 7, 2024
Charleston, WV — Gov. Jim Justice announced on Nov 7th, that he has appointed First Lady Cathy Justice to the West Virginia Board of Education. The First Lady has been a tireless advocate for… Read More

LaPrele Dam Ordered to be Breached

From: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
November 1, 2024
Following ongoing monitoring and a recent thorough inspection of the condition of LaPrele Dam, Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart issued an order to breach the 115-year-old dam. The recent… Read More

Governor Gordon Lauds TerraPower’s Announcement Regarding Steps to Secure Non-Russian Uranium

From: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
October 30, 2024
Governor Mark Gordon is congratulating TerraPower for their announcement on Oct 30th, of efforts to secure a consistent source of non-Russian high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) as a positive… Read More