Wyoming Senate Panel Votes to Demand Control Over Federal Lands!

Race Day Live  A Wyoming Senate panel wants Congress to hand over nearly all federal lands in the state, except for Yellowstone National Park.

The Agriculture, State, and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee voted 4-1 in favor of a resolution demanding the transfer by Oct. 1.

The resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 2, covers about 30 million acres, nearly 47% of Wyoming’s land area. Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper, said the land includes Grand Teton National Park, Devils Tower, multiple national forests, and Bureau of Land Management areas.

It also seeks control over federal mineral rights, which account for 69% of Wyoming’s mineral wealth.

Sen. Ide argues that the U.S. Constitution requires Congress to “dispose” of federal lands. “They don’t have the authority not to dispose,” he said, insisting that lawmakers were obligated to support the resolution.

The resolution passed with support from Sens. Tim French, R-Powell; Troy McKeown, R-Gillette; and Laura Pearson, R-Kemmerer. Sen. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, opposed it.

The resolution claims that federal control puts Wyoming at a disadvantage compared to other states and violates the Bill of Rights.

This argument is similar to Utah’s recent push to claim 18.5 million acres from the federal government, a move rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Critics, including legal experts, argue that such claims misinterpret the Constitution.

Alec Underwood from the Wyoming Outdoor Council said over a century of legal precedent makes the resolution’s demands legally impossible.

However, Ide dismissed the Supreme Court rejection, saying the case could still be pursued through lower courts.

If Congress complies, Wyoming may negotiate to return some land to the federal government, creating a new “state public lands” designation different from school trust lands.

However, concerns remain about mineral rights ownership, management costs, and the potential sale of state-acquired land.

Crago questioned how Wyoming would determine mineral ownership, warning of costly legal disputes. He noted that some 40-acre parcels have hundreds of mineral rights owners, making transfers complex.

Grazing fees were another concern. Federal land grazing costs $1.35 per animal per unit per month, while state land fees are $5.52. Outdoor groups warned that higher costs could hurt ranchers.

Public land advocates also raised concerns about the impact on outdoor recreation, a $2.2 billion industry supporting 15,000 jobs in Wyoming. They questioned how the state would fund land management and ensure continued public access.

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Josh Metten from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership urged lawmakers to study the issue further before voting. Richard Garrett of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition warned that transferring land could eventually lead to its sale.

During the hearing, lawmakers voiced frustration over federal land management. Sen. French claimed Wyoming could gain “billions” from the transfer. Sen. Pearson argued that public access to federal land is already restricted.

McKeown criticized federal wildfire management, claiming the Bureau of Land Management delays firefighting efforts.

French dismissed concerns that Wyoming might sell off its newly acquired land, saying he doesn’t believe the state would auction off areas like the Shoshone National Forest.

The resolution now moves forward, but legal and political hurdles make its success uncertain.

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