Cat Urbigkit
Latest from Cat Urbigkit
Cat Urbigkit: State Will Hear From Public on Land Deal
Last week the Wyoming Legislature adopted revisions to two draft bills that allow state officials to move forward in pursuing a huge land purchase involving 1 million acres of surface and 4 million acres of mineral rights in the checkerboard of southern Wyoming.
Cat UrbigkitMarch 02, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: State Leaders Don’t Want to Hear From Public on Land Deal
Our state leaders keep telling us that what a unique opportunity this deal is, and that the deal could be a strategic investment to add income to state coffers, and unprecedented multiple-use access for the public. But when it comes to specifics, they arent sharing much.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 27, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: House Passes First Reading of Land Deal Bill
On Tuesday afternoon, it took 19 minutes for Representative Steve Harshman (R-Natrona County) to introduce and describe to fellow House members revamped House Bill 249 allowing the State Loan and Investment Board to investigate and pursue the purchase of 1 million acres of surface, and 4 million acres of mineral rights in southern Wyoming.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 26, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: House Approps Reworks State Land Deal Bill
On Monday the House Appropriations Committee worked until after 9 p.m. to make substantial revisions to House Bill 249 that enables Governor Mark Gordon and other members of the State Loan and Investment Board to examine and negotiate a deal for 1 million acres of surface and 4 million acres of mineral rights in southwestern Wyoming.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 25, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: State Trust Lands Aren’t “Public” Land
Most people Ive talked to about this proposed land deal usually respond with What the and I thought the State was broke, but some have expressed the view that it would be good to have more public land, more public access, more areas set aside for wildlife as if state and federal lands are managed in the same way. They arent.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 23, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: Why the Lack of Transparency with the State’s Million Acre Land Grab?
The hypocrisy of Gordon mentioning his commitment to state government transparency in his State of the State address is not lost on me.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 20, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: Quickly and in Darkness, Wyo Gov’t Works to Buy 1 Million Acres
For some, the thought of 1 million acres of private land being gobbled up by government in a state that is already majority-owned by government is a hard pill to swallow.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 19, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: The Fighter Leading the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwiths recent address at the American Sheep Industry Association convention gave reason for conservatives to cheer in hope and for liberals to cringe in despair.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 17, 2020
Cat Urbigkit’s Legislative Preview: State Land Transfers, Wolves, Brucellosis
Here are the issues Range Writing columnist Cat Urbigkit is paying attention to as the Wyoming State Legislature convenes Monday.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 09, 2020
Cat Urbigkit: Grizzly Bears, Cattle, and the Tangled Web of Activism
In more of the same-old-predictable strategy, there have been two notices of intent to sue over conflicts between grizzly bears and cattle in the Upper Green River region of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Heres a quick overview of that issue, then were taking a deep dive into who is threatening to sue.
Cat UrbigkitFebruary 03, 2020
Colorado Wolf Reintroduction: Why it Doesn’t Make Any Sense
The Endangered Species Act isnt meant to be a popularity contest for charismatic species; science is to be the driving factor for conservation of truly imperiled species.
Cat UrbigkitJanuary 27, 2020
Ignorant Food Zealots Reject Agriculture
Hollywoods Golden Globe Awards ceremony made the news for its climate-change awareness with much ado about its meat-free dinner.
Cat UrbigkitJanuary 20, 2020