From the Casper Tribune late Friday, the Wyoming Senate president, Eli Bebout, moved to kill a public lands transfer constitutional amendment bill that’s been a recent focus of public land advocates’ attention.
From the article –
CHEYENNE — Wyoming Senate President Eli Bebout said Friday that he is killing a public lands transfer constitutional amendment bill that rattled sportsmen who warned the resolution would have led to eventual privatization and blocked access to the terrain.
“I’ve given a lot of thought to the public lands initiative,” said Bebout, a Riverton Republican said. “And what I’m going to do is, I’m going to not assign that bill (to a committee.) I’m going to kill it. But there’s a lot of moving parts in that. I think the message that a lot of people believe out there… really isn’t what it’s about. I think we’ve lost that message.”
The senator made the announcement hours after President Donald Trump was inaugurated. The state will work with the administration to more collaboratively manage the land, Bebout said.
“Starting today, from day one, leadership of the Wyoming Legislature is committed to working with the Trump administration and our congressional delegation to develop a solution that will ensure public lands are managed for multiple use and available to benefit all Wyoming residents,” Bebout said.
Before a constitutional amendment lands on the ballot, it needs to pass the Wyoming Legislature with votes from two-thirds of the House and Senate. Bebout said he was unsure whether he had enough votes.
The public lands issue is contentious throughout the West…
Good news? Hell yea.
Is the story over in Wyoming and elsewhere? Hell no.
The running commentary on the newspaper’s article, as does the rest of the article in fact, brings up several key issues that don’t always get mentioned when discussing public lands – in particular state finances.
We have an interesting opinion piece coming in a few days from a Montana rancher with some very, very insightful thoughts on the public lands issue in the West, including a spin or two not being shared by the advocacy groups making lots of noise about public lands.
For now, way to go Wyoming.
Image: Wyoming Late Summer Sun on the Pinedale to Jackson Run.
