Lands

Speak up for the future of the Bridger-Teton National Forest!

Posted on by Gabby Yates

The long road toward a new plan for the beloved Bridger-Teton is finally underway. Add your voice today to ensure the process gets off to a good start!

A few weeks ago, the Bridger-Teton National Forest released its draft assessment report. Though not a decision-making document, this report spells out the forest’s current social, ecological, cultural, and economic conditions.

This is the first of many steps toward a plan that will guide management of the Bridger-Teton for decades to come — so it’s critical we start with a comprehensive assessment. (Forest planning is a little like cooking dinner: You wouldn’t plan what to make without first seeing what ingredients you have in your pantry, right?)

As our team has parsed through the draft assessment, we’ve noticed some gaps that we think the Forest Service needs to address. We’ve laid those out in detail below.

Will you speak up for the future of the Bridger-Teton?

TAKE ACTION NOW

Deadline: August 24, 2025

Writing a public comment is easy and only takes a few minutes. We’ve included a few suggested talking points below, but please personalize your comment and share any important corrections you think the draft assessment needs.

Suggested talking points:

  • Ungulate Migrations: The Assessment does not include a full inventory of big game migration data, including for the iconic Wyoming Range mule deer herd. Although it includes the three state-recognized migration corridors that overlap the Forest, it fails to recognize all the peer-reviewed research for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, and moose migrations. The Forest should include all big game migration data in the Final Assessment, including all the migration data published by USGS.
  • Wild and Scenic Rivers and Wilderness: The Assessment should include current trends regarding the successes and challenges of managing Designated and Eligible Wild and Scenic River Segments and Wilderness to help inform future management. The Forest should likewise work to finish the Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility, and Wilderness Inventory and Evaluation promptly and provide meaningful opportunities for the public to weigh in on the analyses and relevant recommendations that might be incorporated into the draft forest plan.
  • Tribal Engagement & Areas of Tribal Importance: The Forest should continue formal consultations with tribes who maintain connections to the BTNF as their ancestral homeland and migratory territories, and provide intentional opportunities for tribal communities and individual voices to be heard.
  • Recreation: Recreation on the Bridger-Teton has increased dramatically since 1990. The Forest should include any and all relevant data and information on recreational use, to ensure that a new forest plan appropriately mitigates wildlife conflicts and ensures sustainable recreation management. or shared our open citizens sign-on letter.
  • Potential Species of Conservation Concern: The common loon, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and Bonneville cutthroat trout should be included on the list of potential species of conservation concern, given their unique populations and ongoing threats to their persistence.lp protect the best things about Wyoming.

The Bridger-Teton is one of Wyoming’s most cherished places. Now is the time to speak up to ensure the forest planning process starts with the most complete information possible.

Thank you for supporting Wyoming’s largest forest. If you’d like to learn more and speak directly with Forest Staff, consider attending an open house near you!

August 12 — Wilson, Old Wilson Schoolhouse, 5–7 p.m.
August 19 — Cokeville, Cokeville Town Hall, 5–6:30 p.m.
August 20 — Bondurant, St. Hubert the Hunter Church, 5–6:30 p.m.
August 21 — Alpine, Alpine Civic Center, 5–7 p.m.

Image: © Scott Copeland Images

THE ENDURING DAMAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE ON THE WIND RIVER RESERVATION

Posted on by WOC Staff

In Wyoming and across the U.S., tribes and tribal lands bear scars from the country’s nuclear programs. From abandoned radioactive waste to land seizures to the cancer-causing debris of weapons testing, tribal communities have been disproportionately impacted by nuclear development and its lasting consequences. Unfortunately, in the critical discussions surrounding nuclear projects, the voices of nearby tribal communities have often been sidelined or altogether ignored.

The Susquehanna-Western uranium mill, near Wyoming’s Gas Hills, was established during the mid-century uranium boom on tribal lands sold under duress. When it closed in 1963, nearly 1.8 million cubic yards of radioactive waste were left behind — and the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes are still dealing with the consequences.

Now, as the discussion around storing the nation’s high-level radioactive waste in Wyoming heats up, it’s more important than ever to learn from Susquehanna and other historical and ongoing injustices.

Below, Big Wind Carpenter and Jennifer Fienhold, WOC’s tribal conservation advocates, detail the fallout from the Susquehanna mill. They also share how, despite marginalization of tribal voices, advocates continue to demand justice for their communities and their land. As Jennifer puts it, “You will never read about the tribes being the unsung heroes of these tales, which is the biggest injustice of all.”

Big Wind Carpenter: A uranium mill’s toxic legacy

For many, the uranium boom of the 1950s was a sign of progress for the country, but for the people of Arapahoe, it resulted in a toxic legacy. When uranium mining began in the Gas Hills, a local milling site was required to process the uranium ore. The land chosen for the mill site was on the Wind River Reservation and belonged to members of my family. The Bureau of Indian Affairs came to our families to buy the land for the federally funded project. When they refused, BIA coerced some into signing documents, promising payments that never arrived. Those who resisted were threatened with arrest and forced off their own land. The mill site was then constructed and operational within a year’s time.

Although the project was brief, its impact lingers today. The Susquehanna plant operated for only five years before closing, but when it shut down, it left behind a 70-acre unlined impoundment of tailings — approximately 1.8 million cubic yards of low-level radioactive waste.

The Department of Energy removed the tailings in the late 1980s, claiming the danger was eliminated. This was a false promise. Over time, rain and snowmelt washed radioactive materials deep into the ground, polluting the water supply. This created an underground uranium plume — a silent threat that continues to grow, expanding from 20 to 27 acres in recent years and inching closer to the Big Wind River. This experience has left a deep scar on our community. We have seen loved ones suffer and even lose their lives from illnesses linked to radiation exposure from using tainted well water.

Excerpted from a January 20, 2025 post on the WOC blog. Read the full post here.

Jennifer Fienhold: The story’s unsung tribal heroes

You can find a full Department of Energy report detailing the remedial efforts around the Chemtrade mill (formerly the Susquehanna mill) online. However, what you will not find in this report is the fight brought to the federal government, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency by the tribes.

Both the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes monitored the impacts of this waste. After years of the surrounding community of Arapahoe being exposed, cancer levels began to rise. These consequences could also be seen in local wildlife, which began to show telling signs of radioactive exposure, but perhaps what was most alarming, a plume had formed under the plant and contaminated the local water sources. It would take an eight-year battle, diligence, and advocacy for basic human rights, but in 1988, the Tribes finally made headway. The Department of Environmental Quality alongside the EPA were forced to initiate remedial efforts to assist in addressing the long-standing contamination taking place as a result of negligent handling of nuclear waste.

In the end, it was decided to move the waste to Gas Hills, the original location of the uranium mining. The rationale behind this decision: take it back to where it came from. However, there had been other conversations. Within the same remedial report was also the proposal for other sites, 18 of them. Of these, three were seriously considered, and one was on the reservation.

Even two warring tribes, who could be found in tumultuous disagreements in the best of times, united to send the clear message that they did not want radioactive and nuclear waste stored on their lands, and made it clear they were not to continue to be tasked with environmental consequences that had already been forced upon them.

Excerpted from an unpublished account of Jennifer’s recent trip to Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Yucca Mountain was once the proposed repository for the nation’s nuclear waste, until the Western Shoshone, whose treaty land includes the site, successfully opposed the project. Stay tuned for the full account.

Image: A Susquehanna-Western uranium mill in Karnes County, Texas.

BIG AND BAD FOR WYOMING: HERE’S WHAT’S IN THE SENATE RECONCILIATION BILL

Posted on by WOC Staff

Update: The House of Representatives passed the budget bill and President Trump signed it into law on July 4.

Late Tuesday morning the Senate narrowly passed its budget reconciliation bill in a 51–50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. The bill is now back in the House, where representatives have to resolve differences with the Senate version, which they hope to do before the 4th of July.

Public land sales were removed from the Senate bill after immense public outcry, which is a huge win. Thank you to all that raised your voice and championed these shared landscapes.

But the legislation would still have horrific impacts on many Wyoming Outdoor Council priorities, including public lands, tribal conservation, and energy and climate. Here are a few of the most troubling provisions.

Oil and Gas Free-For-All

The Senate bill would cut the public out of having a say in oil and gas leasing on our public lands. It would also cost Wyoming a lot of money in lost royalties.

Royalty rates for oil and gas drilling had been raised during the Biden administration. This bill would lower them back down to 12.5% — the rate they had been since 1920 — which by some estimates cost Wyoming up to $3.6 billion in lost revenue between 2013 and 2022.

The bill also strips the Bureau of Land Management of its discretion to say no to proposed oil and gas lease sales. It doesn’t matter if local communities, hunters, anglers, or ranchers have concerns; the BLM would be required to lease any eligible parcel of public land nominated by industry — an outright affront to multiple use.

Clean Energy Tax Credits Axed

The good news: The Senate bill removed a harmful excise tax that would have unfairly targeted solar and wind projects.

The bad news: Both the House and the Senate have opted to eliminate home energy efficiency tax credits for projects that go into service after the end of 2025. As a result, rooftop solar, residential heat pumps, and home insulation or weatherization upgrades will cost everyday Wyomingites up to 30% more than they would have otherwise.

Businesses, nonprofits, communities, and tribes would have a little more time to take advantage of existing tax credits: they would have to begin construction within a year after the bill’s passage. Still, both the House and Senate versions of the bill include a rapid phase-down of these tax credits, which would drastically harm the clean energy industry and eliminate good paying jobs.

Tribal FUNDING GUTTED

The bill cuts over $700 million from the Bureau of Indian Affairs — basically one-quarter of BIA’s budget — including programs for economic development and land consolidation. This is a flagrant disrespect of treaty rights and tribal sovereignty, and the impacts for tribal members will be massive.

“These cuts are being carried out without any tribal consultation whatsoever, in plain violation of our trust and treaty responsibilities. This is not just a moral question of what we owe Native people — it is also a question of the law.”

– Senator Brian Schatz

For decades, tribal communities were made promises in exchange for the land that created states like Wyoming — including that they would receive housing, health care, and infrastructure development services, as well as access to safe drinking water. With this bill, the federal government would be reneging on those promises.

Locally, the BIA’s Wind River Agency in Fort Washakie manages 2.2 million acres of land, including mountain ranges, river and stream corridors, and a vast landscape of sagebrush within the Wind River Indian Reservation. This is an already underfunded agency, which handles everything from oil and gas permitting to Environmental Policy Act analysis to water on tribal lands. Losing that capacity at BIA would effectively stymie vital projects in tribal communities.

The bill would also cut $617 million from the Indian Land Consolidation Program, which was developed to help right historical wrongs surrounding land ownership. The program has made it possible to return millions of acres of lands to tribal ownership. With the proposed budget bill, Congress would be unilaterally deciding that the program would end — absent tribal consultation or understanding of the implications it poses for tribes and their communities.

Tribal Energy and Water Programs Slashed

The budget bill cuts funding from multiple loan programs that were aimed at financing energy infrastructure projects in tribal communities, including solar. The Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program in particular has been crucial for advancing energy self-determination and creating economic opportunities in Indian Country. Without these programs, tribes will find it substantially more difficult to develop their energy resources, improve grid reliability, and transition to cleaner, more affordable energy.

The Senate bill would also cut a drastic 90% of funding from a program that helps states and tribal communities access safe drinking water. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund provides funding for water infrastructure and safety projects. Tribal nations would go from receiving $22.5 million collectively in the current fiscal year to a mere $2 million next year.

This catastrophic reduction would jeopardize the ability of each tribe’s water departments to provide safe and clean drinking water. With significantly constrained resources, critical functions like well water testing and maintaining drinking water facilities in communities like Fort Washakie, Ethete, and Arapahoe would be impacted. The proposed cuts could lead to layoffs of essential workers responsible for water quality oversight, jeopardizing public health and the long-term sustainability of water infrastructure on tribal lands.

Assault on the Land and Water Conservation Fund

The Great American Outdoors Act, passed in 2020, allocated $900 million annually to increase public access and protect the nation’s public lands. Congress is now seeking to divert roughly 43% of that money away from conservation, recreation, and sportspeople access and towards deferred maintenance of infrastructure instead, even though other federal funds have been allocated for deferred maintenance.

In a Nutshell

Although some of the provisions in the Senate bill dampen some of the worst impacts of the earlier House version, we anticipate that the bill’s overall impact will increase energy costs for Wyomigites, make diversification of our energy sector more challenging, and increase the emissions that science is clearly telling us need to go down in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

THE GOOD AND BAD OF CONGRESS’ BUDGET BILL

Posted on by Alec Underwood

What the heck even is reconciliation — and how it could impact the things we care about?

It’s hard to get legislation through the U.S. Senate because of the filibuster: Senators can literally kill bills by talking them to death. To get around this, Congress often relies on something called “reconciliation,” which lets budget-related bills pass with a simple majority.

In recent years, we’ve seen the process of reconciliation used more and more frequently due to congressional gridlock and polarization in the Senate. Congress is in the midst of the budget reconciliation process right now, and the resulting legislation could have major impacts on Wyoming’s landscapes and communities.

The House of Representatives fiercely debated various spending changes, including investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and the sale of public lands to help fund the cost of tax cuts. As the Senate develops its version of the bill, we’ll be keeping a watchful eye on what transpires. We are here to keep you informed on what’s happening and how it may impact our lands, water, wildlife and communities here in Wyoming.

Public lands sell-off narrowly avoided … for now

Throughout this spring, Congress toyed with the idea of selling public lands in order to help pay for tax cuts. This threat was taken seriously by several public lands champions in the Senate, who introduced an amendment in early April that would have prevented the sale of public lands from being included in the budget reconciliation process. This amendment unfortunately failed (both Wyoming senators voted against it) and shortly afterward the House Natural Resources Committee added the sale of roughly a half million acres in Nevada and Utah to the House reconciliation bill.

Though this sale dealt with neighboring states, Congress could have just as easily included the sale of hundreds of thousands of acres in Wyoming. The use of the budget reconciliation process to sell off public lands is unprecedented. It disallows public input and testimony, the cash from the sale would not go to conservation (as typically occurs with land sales), and it sets an ugly precedent for selling our national public lands to pay for the whims of politicians.

Outraged public lands enthusiasts from across the country spoke up and demanded Congress not use this means for balancing the budget. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana), Rep. Ryan Vasquez (D-New Mexico), and other representatives from outside our state drew a hard red line and were able to have these sales removed.

Land management plans in the crosshairs

The Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs Resource Management Plan, which would provide significant protections for important areas of the Northern Red Desert, has been in the crosshairs of some lawmakers as of late. Fortunately, a provision that would block its implementation was stripped out of the House reconciliation bill. Although it’s unlikely that the provision will be included again in the Senate version, we expect to see ongoing efforts to scale back the protections in the plan through administrative processes.

Clean energy tax credits on the chopping block

Longstanding clean energy tax credits that make solar, wind, and battery storage more affordable were removed in the House reconciliation bill. These incentives have driven investments in technologies like carbon capture and clean hydrogen and have helped Wyoming businesses and families afford rooftop solar and energy efficiency upgrades. The House bill would eliminate many of these credits with significant consequences to Wyoming communities and tribes.

If enacted, clean energy projects could become 30–40 percent more expensive. The bill also targeted residential energy efficiency tax credits that were established in 2005 under the Bush Administration. These credits have helped Wyoming homeowners afford energy efficiency upgrades like insulation, windows, and HVAC systems.

The timing for these cuts couldn’t be worse. Utilities in Wyoming are already proposing double-digit rate hikes while warning of rising demand and grid challenges. Cutting these credits now will increase costs for families, make it more difficult to invest in local clean energy projects like rooftop solar, and weaken Wyoming’s energy resilience.

While the future of many federally funded programs that promote clean energy and energy efficiency remains uncertain, several key initiatives the Wyoming Outdoor Council has been monitoring appear to be making progress. For example, some programs funded through the Inflation Reduction Act have had their funds “obligated,” making them much harder to eliminate entirely. Although certain funds have been temporarily frozen — causing frustration — they now seem to be becoming more accessible.

Help protect Wyoming’s clean energy future: Send a message to our senators and tell them to maintain clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits.

TAKE ACTION

Nuclear energy emerges as a winner

The nuclear energy industry would continue to qualify for production tax credits under the House reconciliation bill. It would also make the nuclear industry the only energy sector to maintain the “transferability” of tax credits — a benefit that gives project developers the ability to sell their tax credits to others. For those tracking the active discussion around nuclear energy in Wyoming, it’s clear that this industry is emerging as a favorite for the Trump Administration as a way to meet new energy demand and remain competitive with other countries developing new kinds of reactors. We’ll be carefully watching these developments to better understand how these incentives translate into more proposals around nuclear energy in Wyoming.

What’s next for WOC’s public lands and clean energy priorities?

The removal of public land sales from the House reconciliation bill was a big sigh of relief for public lands users. However, bad public lands provisions could still be included in the Senate version of the bill. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who heads the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has long advocated for the privatization of public lands.

On the clean energy side, now is the time to let our senators know that you support clean energy and longstanding common-sense programs designed to encourage energy conservation and efficiency like the residential energy efficiency tax credits.

As the reconciliation process continues through the summer, we’ll be keeping a watchful eye on the Senate. Wyoming has an important role to play. As one of the largest energy exporters in the country, the Cowboy State will find itself in the crosshairs. We will continue to keep you updated as we have more news.

Defending your public lands at our nation’s capital

Posted on by Gabby Yates

For Wyomingites, it can be hard to picture the hustle and bustle that occurs in Washington D.C., the seat of our nation’s government, where all our laws and policies are formed. Even more difficult can be tracking these intricate workings as Congress works to pass laws that will support their current political agenda. 

Politics and processes aside, most Wyomingites can agree that our vast public lands are the reason that many of us live here (and not in D.C.) — and that any efforts to threaten future access are an affront to our way of life. Last week, I had the privilege of traveling to our nation’s capital to advocate for protecting our public lands from these threats to defund and dismantle our public lands. 

In February, we witnessed major staffing cuts to the federal agencies tasked with managing our public lands, forests, and national parks. In the face of a growing recreation and tourism industry, and decades of budget cuts to several vital agencies, these short-sighted reductions in force have many of us wondering just how our public lands will be appropriately managed. 

Luckily, Wyomingites of all walks of life spoke up and I was proud to hand-deliver a printed letter to Wyoming’s Congressional delegation that over 1,200 citizens signed, opposing these mass federal agency layoffs. The message was well received, but our work to see our public lands stewarded for future generations is far from over. 

In addition to the risks caused by our land management agencies being under-staffed and under-funded, a larger threat looms in the form of some members of Congress being dead set on selling our federal public lands, calling the sale of public lands a “great idea.” 

In response to the threat, U.S. Senators voted on an amendment brought by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) late on Friday, April 4, that would have prevented the sell-off of lands from being included in Congress’ upcoming budget reconciliation. 

Our lawmakers had the opportunity to protect our public lands from being sold off to pay for future tax cuts — and, unfortunately, they failed to do so.  The amendment died on a 48–52 vote, leaving the threat of land sell-off on the table. Even more unfortunate was the fact that both Wyoming Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis voted against the amendment.

To put it bluntly, the threats to our public lands have never been greater. With the potential sale of federal lands being included in this upcoming budget package and more federal agency layoffs right around the corner, we need Wyomingites to keep speaking up on these issues so that our delegation hears them. Now more than ever, those of us who love our public lands need to fight to ensure they remain and are well stewarded. 

If you haven’t signed or shared our open citizens sign-on letter defending our public lands stewards, please sign below, or consider contacting your Congressional representatives today to let them know that you value our public lands far too much for them to be sold off. Some things just aren’t for sale. As always, thanks for speaking up and stay tuned for more ways that you can help protect the best things about Wyoming.

SIGN THE LETTER!

A Message from the Director: Federal firings will impact Wyoming’s lands, waters, wildlife, and communities

Posted on by Carl Fisher

The public lands that define Wyoming and contribute significantly to our quality of life are under unprecedented and nuanced attacks. State legislative efforts to transfer our public lands to the state compounded by federal efforts to sell them off to seed a sovereign wealth fund are suddenly on the table. Of course, there have been thoughtless and drastic cuts to the federal workforce that will affect wildfire response, road and campground openings, trail work and delay important landscape health and public access projects. The Wyoming Outdoor Council is shocked and dismayed by the firings of so many public servants, and these losses will have very real consequences for the land, water, air, and wildlife we were founded to protect. Beyond these impacts, we are very concerned about how these losses will affect our fellow Wyomingites. It’s easy to paint with a broad brush the federal worker, but it is important to note that these civil servants are our neighbors, the parents of our kids’ friends, the people we talk to at the grocery store. We find it particularly abhorrent to celebrate how these people’s lives have been impacted.

There’s no question that there are inefficiencies and disagreements between people, organizations, businesses, tribes, and governments (to name a few) about how the government functions. But as an organization, we work to separate those differences in policy, management, funding, and decision-making from the individual persons tasked with those duties. To be clear, firing the federal workforce does little, if anything, to address concerns of fraud, waste, and abuse. With approximately 350 million people living in this country, there’s certainly a lot that differentiates us: hopes, dreams, and the lived experiences that form who we are as we all try to do the best we can with what we have and for who is in our orbit. At WOC, we believe our land, air, water, wildlife, and grappling with the realities of climate, unite us. Some of our best memories with family, friends, or by our lonesome took place in the Wyoming landscape.

It is for these values and every person in Wyoming that the WOC team shows up every day, works to engage agencies, leaders, and the people of Wyoming in pursuit of doing and being better. We care about your jobs, about your hardships, about the obstacles and opportunities life presents you with — it doesn’t matter if it is in the public or private sector, or what that job or passion is. In our efforts to understand, we help the rest of Wyoming understand, too. The WOC community, our staff, board, members, partners, and volunteers are not a monolith —nor are federal, state, or industry workers. When divergent ideas and experiences come together, we see it as a strength, not a weakness — and it is hard work and we’re here for it. Join or engage with us to build our collective strength for what truly matters in Wyoming.

Stay tuned for important updates and actions on this and many other matters. Thank you for your attention, compassion, and support – onward!

– Carl Fisher, Executive Director

Image: Meghan Riley

House Bill 118 attacks future public lands access and landowner rights

Posted on by Alec Underwood

The sale of the beloved Kelly Parcel, the former state section that has now been successfully incorporated into Grand Teton National Park, represented a win-win for wildlife and state trust beneficiaries. The $100 million generated from the sale will benefit Wyoming’s education system for decades to come. Unfortunately, some legislators are dead-set on preventing future deals with the federal government that could result in huge sources of revenue to the state — and also infringe on private property rights.

HB118 flew through the House Agriculture committee last week on an 8-1 vote, and without much debate, before passing the House Committee of the Whole shortly thereafter. The bill would essentially limit any land exchanges or conveyances that would result in a net gain of federal public lands. Even worse, the bill would potentially prevent private landowners from selling or conveying their land for conservation purposes or public access.

In addition to an attack on landowners’ rights, this bill is shortsighted because it stymies deals that often result in more benefits to the state. Even the Office of State Lands and Investments testified on the draft bill, indicating that it runs counter to the state agency’s existing rules and regulations and current efforts to find and shepherd deals to maximize state lands revenues. That’s because within state land sales or exchanges, valuation is not calculated solely on acreage.

In the case of the Kelly Parcel, a tract that has high conservation value, a combination of private and federal funding resulted in a sale to the federal government that was $38 million more than the parcel’s appraised value. So why would legislators want to shackle our own state agencies, infringe on private property rights, and prevent future deals that result in more public lands? We have no idea — but what we do know is that bills like HB118 are an affront to Wyoming values.

Most Wyomingites can agree that finding ways to conserve land while also generating revenue for the state is a benefit to all Wyomingites, and our wildlife, too. That’s why we need YOU to speak out against shortsighted legislation like HB118. In the coming weeks, we’ll be asking you to take action on a variety of bills, including this one and other draft legislation that impact the values we care about most. We hope you’re ready for the challenge and stay tuned for more, very soon.

Image: Charles Stirum

BREAKING: Supreme Court rejects Utah’s land grab suit

Posted on by Max Owens

Press Release | January 13, 2025

(Lander, Wyoming) – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) rejected the State of Utah’s lawsuit that argued for the disposal of 18.5 million acres of public land in Utah. The case could have paved the way for the disposal of all public lands in the United States, including Wyoming.

“The Supreme Court’s rejection of this land grab is further evidence that Utah’s efforts to rid America of its public lands is a misguided effort. This attempted lawsuit not only ignored more than a century of legal precedent, but the will of the American people who time and time again have shown their support for public lands,” Gabby Yates, Public Lands Program Manager for the Wyoming Outdoor Council, said. “Wyomingites have such a strong connection to the landscapes, wildlife, and cultural heritage in our backyard because of the access and opportunity that public lands allow. We applaud the court’s decision to deny Utah’s case. In doing so, the public’s ability to enjoy public lands, now and for future generations, remains protected.”

Late last year, the State of Wyoming, various state legislators, and Rep. Harriett Hageman filed briefs in support of the State of Utah’s now-rejected lawsuit. Additionally, numerous Wyoming state legislators have already introduced SJ0002, a resolution which demands the U.S. Congress dispose of all public lands to the state. With Yellowstone National Park as the resolution’s sole exception, federal public lands including iconic grasslands, forests, Bureau of Land Management rangelands, and even Grand Teton National Park are all implicated.

“It’s deeply troubling that this idea of transferring our public lands keeps rearing its ugly head. Much like the nation’s highest court, public land users have rejected these short-sighted efforts again and again, because we know that America’s public lands are our birthright,” Alec Underwood, program director for WOC, said. “Regardless of SCOTUS’ decision today, we fully expect state lawmakers to keep pushing this agenda, wasting taxpayer dollars and diverting time away from truly critical legislative priorities. Wyoming citizens deserve better than this. We’re glad to see the U.S. Supreme Court concur that this culture war against the public trust should end.”

Want to help maintain access and protect Wyoming’s public lands? Sign the petition to keep public lands in public hands!

SIGN THE PETITION

    Image: Rich Brame

    Why we’re concerned about nuclear waste storage in Wyoming: A deeper dive

    Posted on by John Burrows

    When the 2025 General Session kicks off next week, the debate over nuclear waste storage is set to become a hot (dare we say radioactive?) topic. In preparation, we wanted to share the latest information about the current proposal to store the country’s nuclear waste in Wyoming — and why we plan to oppose it.

    Wyoming has stood firm against nuclear waste storage for decades, and for many good reasons. We’re concerned about the current proposal because the consequences of transporting and storing high-level radioactive waste in Wyoming would be significant, multi-generational, and perhaps even permanent.

    Concerned about nuclear waste storage in Wyoming? Join our list to stay informed as this bill moves through the legislature.

    SIGN UP FOR ALERTS

    The draft bill, which has been received for introduction as House Bill 16 – Used nuclear fuel storage-amendments, could move quickly into the house Minerals Committee. If it does, we’ll need your voice to help stop it. So without further ado, let’s dive into the bill and our key reasons for opposing this effort to site nuclear waste in Wyoming.

    • This bill has moved forward with remarkably little opportunity for public engagement for such a significant and consequential issue. Initial public review of the draft bill wasn’t available until less than two weeks before its first and only discussion in the October 2024 Minerals Committee meeting. Opening the door to invite nuclear waste to Wyoming should not be a legislative afterthought and last-minute committee sponsored bill. We believe this is a topic that should require many discussions and seek robust public participation similar to what we saw in the early 1990s.
    • We need to be realistic that once nuclear waste is here temporarily, it will be here to stay. It has become clear to us based on the failings of federal policies, that a “temporary” facility would become a de facto permanent repository, as no legal, political, or financial mechanisms exist to ensure its removal. Despite decades of efforts from the federal government, the fact remains that there is still no permanent disposal solution for this waste. In fact, creating temporary storage for this waste in Wyoming could undermine the political will needed to pursue a safe permanent solution to this issue.
    • The history of nuclear waste storage in our country is fraught with broken promises by our federal government to both states and tribes. When we consider a half-century of missed timelines, changing scientific guidelines, and disregard of state and tribal sovereignty that has plagued the full supply chain of nuclear energy from cradle to grave, we can find very few reasons to trust the federal government that it has the best interest of Wyoming and the Wind River Reservation in mind. In 1992, this was one of Gov. Sullivan’s key points when rejecting further study of a Department of Energy proposed monitored retrievable nuclear storage site in Wyoming. In a letter, he stated,

    “I am absolutely unpersuaded that Wyoming can rely on the assurances we receive from the federal government. Even granting the personal integrity and sincerity of the individuals currently speaking for the federal government, there can be no guarantees or even assurances that the federal government’s attitudes or policies will be the same one, five, ten or 50 years from now.”

    • A rush to designate Wyoming as the country’s nuclear waste storage capital could have both real and perceived consequences to other industries and the state’s broader economic diversification efforts. Numerous states have rejected advances by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to store nuclear waste, citing concerns around their reputation and damage to other economic sectors. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbot raised concerns over a facility because of potential risks it could pose to the state’s oil and gas development in the Permian Basin. (The Nuclear Regulatory Commission permitted this over his objections anyway.) In other states such as Tennessee, New Mexico, and Nevada, studies have confirmed negative impacts to other economic sectors like agriculture, outdoor recreation, tourism, and resident property values. If Wyoming legislators want to take the title of being the country’s nuclear waste dump, we need to be clear-eyed about how this could negatively impact our reputation and other economic sectors.
    • The risks of transporting and storing nuclear waste from around the country amount to an unprecedented, unnecessary national experiment. Nuclear waste is currently stored safely at reactor sites, where it is generated, as required by federal law. This would also be true for any nuclear facility built in Wyoming. This is the right place for this waste to remain until a permanent solution can be found. It does not make sense to transport and move this hazardous material twice across thousands of miles of interstate highways, city and county roads, and railways.

    If you share our concerns, we could use your help. Tell your legislators that you oppose nuclear dumps in Wyoming, and sign up here to be notified with alerts as this bill moves through the legislature.

    Looking for more information? Check out our nuclear waste storage fact sheet, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a conversation.

    Image: ShinRyu Forgers | Wikimedia Commons CC

    INVITING NUCLEAR WASTE RISKS FEDERAL OVERREACH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HARM

    Posted on by John Burrows

    Some bad ideas refuse to die — and the recent legislative push to make Wyoming a temporary location for the nation’s high-level radioactive waste is definitely one of them.

    Over the last three decades, the Wyoming Legislature has discussed rolling out the red carpet for nuclear waste several times. Now, that discussion promises to rear its head once again when the 2025 General Session begins in January.

    Just as we have in the past, WOC opposes this latest proposal, which would make it easier to store high-level radioactive waste in Wyoming. It’s not a position we take lightly: As an independent, statewide organization, we understand the challenges associated with diversifying our economy and the need for solutions that address complex energy and environmental challenges, which are often at odds with one another.

    As one of the most regulated materials known to humankind, inviting high-level nuclear waste to Wyoming would also invite an unprecedented level of federal oversight and regulation not seen before in Wyoming. For this reason and others discussed here, we strongly believe that inviting this waste to Wyoming would be a poor decision that could jeopardize our environment, communities, state sovereignty, and future hopes of broader economic diversification.

    Concerned about nuclear waste storage in Wyoming? Join our list to stay informed as this bill moves through the legislature.

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    Wyoming has held the line against nuclear waste storage for decades. Before we get to the current proposal, let’s take a look at some highlights from Wyoming’s long and proud history of rejecting nuclear waste dumps.

    • 1991: The U.S. Department of Energy proposes a “Monitored Retrievable Storage” nuclear waste facility in Wyoming. Gov. Mike Sullivan ended the project a year later, citing numerous concerns around transportation safety, the failures of the federal government as a trusted partner, and potential damage to other industries.
    • 1994: A University of Wyoming poll shows that more than 80 percent of residents opposed nuclear waste storage in Wyoming.
    • 1995: The Wyoming legislature passes laws regulating private and federal nuclear waste storage facilities. Importantly, they include safeguards to ensure Wyoming does not become a de facto permanent repository site.
    • 1998: Gov. Jim Geringer shuts down a proposal for a private nuclear waste storage facility.
    • 2010: The decades-long effort by the federal government to create a permanent nuclear disposal facility for high level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain Nevada ended, mainly for political reasons.
    • 2019: The Wyoming legislature’s Spent Fuel Rods Subcommittee studies the revenue opportunity for waste storage. Because of restrictions and limited funds provided in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, they abandon the effort.

    The current attempt to bring nuclear waste to Wyoming comes from a bill sponsored by the Joint Minerals Committee that changes the definition of “high-level nuclear waste” to exclude “spent nuclear fuel.” This definition change would create a loophole to circumvent our existing laws that require extensive environmental protections and requirements for public comment and legislative approval for the storage of high-level radioactive waste.

    Call it what you like — but if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Legislators can change the definition of “high level nuclear waste,” but spent nuclear fuel is still high level nuclear waste, and “spent” does not equal safe. The definition change is out of sync with the definition held by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, setting the stage for conflict with the federal agency created to regulate high-level radioactive waste — do we really want to invite more uncertainty in management, jeopardizing land, water, wildlife and communities?

    If you share our concerns, we could use your help. Tell your legislators that you oppose nuclear dumps in Wyoming, and sign up here to be notified with alerts as this bill moves through the legislature.

    Looking for more information? Check out our nuclear waste storage fact sheet. Finally, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a conversation.