Protection of public lands has long been a goal of western communities, and in the latest success story, Wyoming has reached an agreement with industry and citizens to do that on our terms.
The bipartisan Wyoming Range Legacy Act (WRLA) was signed into law in 2009, permanently protecting 1.2 million acres of the Wyoming Range from energy development. At least, that was the theory.
It turns out WRLA allowed exceptions for companies with existing oil and gas leases. One such company, Plains Exploration and Production (PXP), held leases to drill on 58,000 acres of the Wyoming Range. This would threaten critical habitats for elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, sage grouse, and trophy mule deer.
Meanwhile, Wyoming citizens demanded the entire Wyoming Range be protected. Hoping to strike a deal with the Houston-based company, citizens have spent months trying to negotiate a deal with PXP that would save all of the Range.
Through the efforts of conservationists, hunting and fishing groups, private citizens and government officials, that deal is nearly a reality. The Trust for Public Lands announced last week that thanks to efforts by determined Wyoming citizens, an agreement has been met to buy the leases for $8.75 million.
Despite initial doubts from conservation groups that a deal would be met, PXP supported the idea of a buyout since passage of the Legacy Act in 2009. Upon an offer that met PXP’s standards, the company fully supported the vision of Wyoming citizens.
“This agreement represents a win-win for all parties.”
—Steve Rusch, VP of environmental health and safety at PXP
Combined with the WRLA, this deal will ensure that the Wyoming Range is protected from oil and gas drilling forever. This is good news for Wyoming’s hunters, anglers, and wildlife enthusiasts who account for 59% of the state’s population. The agreement is also a win for local businesses and the people who work at them. After all, in 2011 hunters, anglers, and other wildlife enthusiasts spent nearly $1.15 billion in Wyoming.
Scott Bosse, American Rivers’ northern Rockies director, made it clear that the agreement reached with PXP is in big part the result of sportsmen groups’ participation.
“The people that saved the Upper Hoback were hunters, anglers, boaters and guys in cowboy boots.”
Although a deal has been met, there is still more work to be done. The Trust for Public Lands must raise the money by December 31st to complete the agreement. As of now, the Trust has already raised $4.5 million. Trust leaders are confident that the remaining funds will be raised come the end-of-year deadline. Once finalized, this deal marks a milestone in Wyoming’s conservation history, not to mention the state’s ability to come together as one. Dan Smitherman, spokesman for Citizens of the Wyoming Range, said:
“It shows that whenever diverse groups and individuals with common interests can put egos and minor differences aside and come together based on a shared set of core values, they can be effective.”
After years of rallying and months of negotiations, the voices of Wyoming have been heard. With hard work and a common goal, the preservation of the Wyoming Range truly is a spectacular show of varying interest groups working together to protect a place that is “too special to drill.”