Does anyone remember when Wyomingites spoke with one voice and our representatives in Washington said, “Screw you”? I do.
Opinion
Remember The One Big Beautiful Bill? It was designed to reward the rich and add to our massive deficit. It did both quite well. It was also designed to sell off our public lands, an idea that more than 90% of Wyomingites surveyed opposed. Lawmakers from Montana said, “hell no,” and threatened to vote against the bill. So, the sponsors of the bill took Montana’s public lands off the auction block.
What did our three courageous representatives in Washington do? They voted for it, without even a squeak. Fortunately technical factors removed that part of the bill, but U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman has doubled down by leading the charge to get rid of our public lands and roadless areas in spite of massive public opposition from her constituents. And now she is on her way to becoming our U.S. senator, where she would continue her war against public lands and Wyoming sportsmen and sportswomen. Sen. John Barrasso will continue to sell us down the river in his own quiet way. If elected, U.S. Congress hopeful Chuck Gray will do whatever he is told by the Trump administration; what that will be remains to be seen. Our “true conservative” state legislators, like Sen. Bob Ide, are no better; they want all federal public lands gone.
Do not be fooled by the argument that Wyoming should manage what are now Bureau of Land Management lands, national forests, parks and monuments. While the feds manage lands for many uses, including beauty and recreation, Wyoming manages state-owned lands through the five-person Wyoming State Board of Land Commissioners following one constitutionally mandated goal: to maximize income from the property over which it has jurisdiction. Just look at what the board did when it granted Prism Logistics a gravel mine lease on the face of Casper Mountain. Those beautiful state lands are used by citizens for hiking and general enjoyment. While the Natrona County community banded against the mine, the board leased it without considering the community’s desires. (The board later flipped its stance in the face of major public opposition to the project.) With that vote, they tried to gift the community an eyesore that we can enjoy every new day for eternity. The issue is on appeal before the Wyoming Supreme Court. Fingers crossed.
The state of Wyoming lacks the resources of the federal government to manage the vast properties it would acquire if the proponents of the transfer were to succeed. The only solution would be to turn the land into money and divest ownership. Prime recreational land would be sold to the highest bidder so that some wealthy landowner would be able to fence and sign it off from us ordinary people. The rich would rejoice, as would the powerful mineral extractors, who would no longer suffer under the yoke of federal regulations. Of course, the less-appealing properties would remain in state hands, unless and until the land board could turn a nickel with them.
One need only look at the occasions when wealthy out-of–state “ranchers” from California or Texas have traded lands they have purchased to the land board for school sections of lesser financial value, with the exclusive goal of blocking public access to national forests or other public lands. If Wyoming gains federal properties, they will sell them off or exploit them — especially the desirable ones — to our detriment. Imagine, “Mr. Musk, may I hunt on your so-called ranch?” I have fished in Colorado, where most of the land is privately owned. One either pays for the “privilege” or stands elbow to elbow with other fishermen on the few public pieces of water. We are so spoiled in Wyoming, we don’t even appreciate what we have. There is a reason out-of-staters come to Wyoming to fish and hunt.
Everyone should take the time to read the opinion from the U.S. 10th Circuit Court authorizing corner crossing to access BLM land. The decision turns on the federal Unlawful Enclosures Act. If the state of Wyoming succeeds in acquiring that land, the act would no longer protect us and corner crossing will become illegal trespass: a crime, and a gift to the landed few.
Of course, it is not even clear that our national representatives want to put the public lands into state hands. My belief is that Rep. Hageman wishes to sell them off at the federal level, “to balance the budget.” Bull. That wouldn’t be a drop in the bucket, but once those lands are gone, they are gone forever. I am not an unmitigated fan of the feds, but on this issue I trust them more than the other side.
Is this really part of the Trump agenda? Why do our representatives disregard what us Wyomingites think? Who is their master? Only one explanation makes sense: money. Where do mystery out-of-state campaign dollars come from? Could it be from persons who have plans for our public lands?
Cowboy ethics: “Ride for the brand.” Our delegation is truly “riding for the brand,” just not our brand. Let’s cure that problem when we vote.
