Wyoming State Office
| Contacts: | Cindy Wertz | |||
| (307) 775-6014 |
BLM Holds Second Resource Advisory Council Meeting
The Resource Advisory Council (RAC) of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming held their second meeting last week in Pinedale, Wyo.
A field trip was conducted one day with the group visiting a variety of different vegetative treatments and development impacts on the Pinedale Anticline near Pinedale. The Pinedale Anticline has one of the richest concentrations of natural gas in the United States, currently estimated at more than 25 trillion cubic feet.
The group saw several key examples of sagebrush treatments aimed at improving sage-grouse habitat and mule deer winter range. Challenges of long term reclamation and restoration were discussed along with advantages and disadvantaged of the various techniques.
The group then focused their meeting day discussing issues associated with restoration and reclamation.
“It is important to take a look at what BLM is working on in the short term, while remaining focused on long-term, landscape level goals that this group might be able to help facilitate,” said Walt Gasson, of Trout Unlimited, representing environmental groups on the RAC.
Gary Cukjati, from the National Outdoor Leadership School, representing the recreation industry, said “What I’m taking away from the tour and our discussion is that BLM is trying, and that there is a great number of people, both in industry and BLM taking responsibility for making a positive difference here.”
The RAC will continue the discussion of landscape level projects at the next meeting, which will take place in Casper, Wyo., Jan. 19-20.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In Fiscal Year 2012, activities on public lands generated $4.6 billion in revenue, much of which was shared with the States where the activities occurred. In addition, public lands contributed more than $112 billion to the U.S. economy and helped support more than 500,000 jobs.
Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Cheyenne, WY 82009