What will change under the new RMP?

With the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) having released the Record of Decision regarding the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Rock Springs Field Office, Sweetwater County is considering what a future under the new RMP could look like, as well as hoping that future doesn't come.

While the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners recently met with Governor Mark Gordon to discuss the RMP on the same day that the Record of Decision was released, the commissioners still took time to discuss the RMP further during their January 7 meeting.

Land Use Director Eric Bingham joked that he was there to talk about everyone's "favorite subject matter" again before he presented to the commissioners to give further details on what the Record of Decision and final RMP look like.

"We continue to beat the dead horse on it, but it's so significant, and I think a lot of people still don't understand how significant and important it is," Chairman Keaton West commented about the subject of the RMP. West added that it felt like so much effort had been disregarded because there was essentially no change between the final proposed version of the RMP and the Record of Decision. "I think there's a clear agenda there and unfortunately, we're going to have to suffer those consequences."

Bingham's presentation went over the details of how things will change from the way they are now to what they will be under the new RMP. When the BLM released the final RMP draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), county and state leadership were still concerned, and submitted protests asking for changes. However, once the Record of Decision was released, it was clear that the RMP had not changed based on that feedback.

"In a nutshell, all the protests were denied," Bingham summarized, explaining that the final RMP the BLM approved is the same as the proposed final draft and FEIS.

To help everyone understand what this means, Bingham presented maps and detailed information on how the new RMP will affect the county when it comes to issues like oil and gas, resource management, and access. For fluid mineral leasing, which affects oil and gas, the amount of acreage closed off nearly doubles, going from 540,000 acres currently to 935,000 acres under the new RMP. Visual Resource Management has different classifications relating to new developments. Under Class 2, developments are required to be hidden or blend in with natural surroundings, which can restrict what types of development take place. Class 2 acreage has increased in the new RMP, going from roughly 580,000 to 1.3 million.

Another major area of concern has been with right of ways and Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs). Bingham explained that the final RMP did address some concerns about right of way exclusion areas in checkerboard lands, but noted that the RMP still includes significant expansion in exclusion areas, going from about 400,000 to over 900,000 acres. Right of way avoidance areas are also a concern, Bingham said, and can impact infrastructure. These areas will increase from about 730,000 to over a million acres. Bingham pointed out that lots of area in the Red Desert will become exclusion areas, which is concerning for the Sweetwater County government since they maintains county roads through the area. OHV access has been a debated issue since the BLM's Travel Management Plan wasn't included with the RMP, but county leaders are concerned about language in the RMP regarding the change from "limited to existing roads and trails" to "limited to designated roads and trails."

In looking at the concerns about the new RMP, Bingham and the commissioners continued the discussion that began during the meeting with Governor Gordon regarding what can be done to fight against the RMP. The main option the county discussed further was potential litigation. Bingham, along with Chief Deputy County and Prosecuting Attorney John DeLeon and Environmental Attorney Danielle Bettencourt, stressed the need to be able to have standing and show harm so the lawsuit isn't thrown out.

Trinity Lewis, representing the office of Representative Harriet Hageman, was also present virtually for the discussion, and she pointed out that Representative Hageman is also working to reintroduce her bill to nullify the RMP.

Chairman West pointed out that everyone will have to wait and see what happens under the new presidential administration, but reiterated that the RMP and the changes made, and not made, have been "disappointing, to say the least."