By Rocket Miner staff
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

ROCK SPRINGS — On Wednesday, new U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum under — President Donald Trump’s directive — officially granted the authority to review and revise all relevant resource management plans. This includes the decision regarding the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan and the Greater Sage-Grouse Range-Wide Planning.

According to a joint news release from Sweetwater County legislators, this decision paves the way to reverse an unworkable and restrictive proposal that would devastate Wyoming’s ability to responsibly recreate, develop and produce on these public lands.

This action is one of many under Trump’s recent executive order, “Unleashing American Energy,” which aims to reverse the harmful and burdensome regulations stifling the development and use of the nation’s abundant energy and natural resources, according to a news release.

According to opponents, the Rock Springs RMP, in its current form developed under the Biden administration, would impose unnecessary restrictions on multiple-use public lands, threatening responsible energy development, grazing, and outdoor recreation. Without revision, they say, the plan would significantly limit access to public lands and negatively impact the livelihoods of hardworking Wyoming residents, undermining the state’s economic stability.

The Sweetwater County delegates extended their deep gratitude to Trump for his leadership and commitment to protecting Western communities from federal overreach. His administration’s continued focus on restoring local control and ensuring balanced land management has been instrumental in securing this outcome, the release said.

“We know this is the first of many wins we will receive by Trump for our state and community,” they said in the joint news release.

Sen. Stacy Jones, R-Rock Springs, a longtime advocate for public land access, celebrated the decision.

“The fight for access to our public lands has paid off,” Jones said. “This is what I’ve worked so hard for — the task force meetings, the public meetings, the difficult meetings with local BLM directors, and a trip to D.C. — to protect our access. The rollback of the Rock Springs BLM RMP was a fight from the people, for the people. But the hard work isn’t over yet — it has just reset!”

Rep. J.T. Larson, R-Rock Springs, also praised the efforts of Wyoming residents who pushed back against the plan.

“For over a year, our community of Rock Springs has cried foul, pushing back with all the resources we had and then some,” Larson said.

“Thanks to all of you, including our hardworking county commissioners, who all stood firm meeting after meeting. And to those who came and commented, your voices were heard!” he added. “A big thank you to President Trump, who heard loud and clear how disastrous this plan would be for Rock Springs for the next two decades and did something about it.”

Rep. Cody Wylie, R-Rock Springs, acknowledged the hard work of current and former legislators.

“After all the hours, days and months and days this Sweetwater delegation dedicated to the Rock Springs RMP and following all the rules, procedures, and hurdles we finally have an equitable outcome,” Wylie said. “I would like to thank all the folks in the community that participated, our local delegation of legislators Albert Sommers, Clark Stith, Tony Niemiec, JT Larson, Jon Conrad and Stacy Jones. I would also like to thank the governor for having our backs when it looked like we may not get such a favorable outcome. A special thanks to President Trump; thank you for listening to local people and supporting local solutions.”

“As Wyoming moves forward, we will remain vigilant against any future efforts to impose overreaching policies that jeopardize our state’s economy and traditions,” the legislators said in the press release. “We stand firm in our commitment to responsible stewardship and local control of our public lands.”