Trump Administration Shuts Down Controversial Biden-Era Rock Springs Management Plan 

The Bureau of Land Management’s controversial management plan for millions of acres in the Rock Springs area has been shut down by President Donald Trump’s administration, Wyoming officials announced early Thursday. 

Newly-appointed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on Wednesday was granted the authority to review and revise all resource management plans (RMPs). 

That includes halting the BLM’s Rock Springs RMP, which Wyomingites have widely opposed. 

“This decision paves the way to reverse an unworkable and restrictive proposal that would devastate Wyoming's ability to responsibly recreate, develop, and produce on these public lands,” according to a statement released Thursday from Wyoming legislators Sen. Stacy Jones, R-Rock Springs, J.T. Larson, R-Rock Springs, and Rep. Cody Wylie, R-Rock Springs. 

That’s great news, although it’s uncertain what happens next, Jones’ husband, Sweetwater County Commissioner Taylor Jones, told Cowboy State Daily. 

“I think it’s really exciting. I think it’s a step in the right direction. Quite frankly, I don’t know where we go from here.” he said. 

Many Said Plan Was Too Restrictive 

Sweetwater County officials and others have long criticized the BLMs preferred “Alternative B” for the management plan.  

The BLM manages about 3.6 million acres of land from the Rock Springs office, the bulk of it in Sweetwater County. Alternative B would have designated 1.8 million acres, or about half, as “areas of critical environmental concern.”

Critics say that would have restricted public access in those areas for hunting, motorized recreation, cattle grazing and energy exploration. 

In December, during the last days of former President Joe Biden’s administration, the Rock Springs RMP was finalized. 

Sweetwater county officials and residents worried that it would have devastating effects on the local economy – which relies heavily on energy and tourism. 

Now The Work Begins

Taylor Jones said that the news coming from Washington D.C. is good, but it means that he and other county and state elected officials have homework to do. 

As far as what happens next, “do we pick a different alternative, or do we just revert back to the previous RMP?” he said. 

“Does this have a timeline on it? Do we have two weeks, 60 days?” he added. 

Gratitude For Trump

Halting the RMP is good news for Wyoming energy, the Rock Springs legislators stated. 

“This action is one of many under President Trump's recent executive order, ‘Unleashing American Energy,’ which aims to reverse the harmful and burdensome regulations stifling the development and use of the nation's abundant energy and natural resources,” according to their statement.

The legislators also thanked Trump. 

“We extend our deep gratitude to President Donald J. Trump for his leadership and commitment to protecting Western communities from federal overreach. His administration's continued focus on restoring local control and ensuring balanced land management has been instrumental in securing this outcome. We know this is the first of many wins we will receive by President Trump for our state and community,” according to the statement.  

Mark Heinz can be reached at Mark@CowboyStateDaily.com