Top issues we’re watching this session
THIS YEAR’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION starts Feb. 9, and WOC is gearing up to fight for conservation priorities in Cheyenne. This is a budget session, meaning that lawmakers will be primarily focused on passing a state budget.
With cuts to federal agencies, assaults on public lands, and conservative lawmakers promising to “DOGE the budget,” it’s more important than ever to speak up for the people of Wyoming and the wild landscapes we cherish. We have been attending interim committee meetings and tracking committee bills all year. Here are the top three items we’ll be watching this legislative session.
1. Wildfire Funding
Lawmakers have been talking about wildfires a lot this year, and they are worried. The state has been experiencing more drought, bigger fires, and extensive beetle kill. And with timber projects behind schedule and unprecedented federal layoffs, there is concern that we won’t have enough personnel to properly respond.
To address this concern, lawmakers are proposing legislation that would make it possible for more state workers to undertake forestry projects on federal land. So-called Good Neighbor Authority agreements allow the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to rely on state employees when they need extra help with wildfire mitigation and forest health. Currently, there’s a cap on how many Good Neighbor positions are allowed in Wyoming, and there are restrictions on how those positions are funded. This legislation would open the door for more Good Neighbor positions and would make it possible for outside entities, such as nonprofits, to help foot the bill.
The governor’s proposed budget also includes an ask to expand firefighting capacity in the state and to battle annual invasive grasses in fire scars.
WOC will be supporting these asks.
2. Corner Crossing
In places where public and private land are laid out in a checkerboard pattern, you often have to step across private land in order to access public land. This is called “corner crossing” — and it remains legal after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal on a corner crossing lawsuit. But Wyoming lawmakers want to shore up the court ruling with a clear state statute.
A bill drafted by the Travel, Recreation, and Wildlife Committee would do just that, by specifying that corner crossing is not criminal trespass. The legislation would offer more clarity for people who wish to access public lands, and more security for wardens and sheriffs in enforcement. WOC supports this step toward providing protection for those accessing public lands.
3. ‘DOGE’-ing the Budget
The governor’s proposed budget promises deep cuts but offers little indication where they’ll be coming from. We will work hard to ensure that the Department of Environmental Quality has the funding it needs to protect Wyoming’s air and water quality. We will also push for adequate funding for the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, so that it can continue supporting Wyoming communities with educational and recreational opportunities in our state parks.
Header image: Photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash