Wyoming Governor Mead asks Department of Interior to rescind 'Wild Lands' Order
Wyoming joins Idaho in objecting to BLM administratively creating De facto wilderness
by Pinedale Online!
January 19, 2011
Editor’s Note: On Monday, January 17, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar asking him to rescind Secretarial Order 3310, which directs the Bureau of Land Management to identify public lands as "Wild Lands" and protect them for their wilderness values. Salazar issued 3310 right before Christmas in 2010. With this letter, Wyoming joins Idaho as states officially asking the federal government to rescind 3310. On Wednesday, January 12th, Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter wrote a letter to United States Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar asking that he "immediately withdraw this Secretarial Order and initiate proper federal rulemaking pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act."
Below is the media release from the Wyoming Governor’s Office.
______________________________________
Wyoming Governor Mead asks Department of Interior to rescind Wild Lands Order
1/18/2011
OFFICE OF GOVERNOR MATT MEAD
State Capitol
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Ph. (307) 777-7437
******FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE******
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Governor Matt Mead expressed deep concerns with the administration’s signing of Secretarial Order 3310. That order directs the Bureau of Land Management to identify public lands as "Wild Lands" and protect them for their wilderness values.
"This letter is to advise you that I firmly oppose Secretarial Order 3310," Mead wrote. He added his concern that the order was released just before the Christmas holiday and at a time when his office and other governors’ offices were in transition. "Though you will seek feedback from State BLM offices prior to issuing final agency guidance, the opportunity for public input on the policy itself was never afforded."
Mead also expressed concern about the impact that this order could have on the economy of Wyoming and its communities. He wrote, "The policy ignores the contribution of Wyoming’s natural resources to the nation’s economic sustainability. It ignores the revenues our State and local governments depend on from mineral and other development. It fails to address the impact to ranchers, recreationalists, and all the others who rely on the lands for so many different reasons."
Specifically, Governor Mead says the order could drag out or halt the permitting process for BLM lands.
The Governor’s letter ends, "Only the elected Congress is given the power, by law, to designate official Wilderness areas. But, the policy seeks such designations by administrative fiat. With all due respect, the BLM cannot achieve these ends through this means. Please rescind the order for the reasons set forth in this letter and in the name of balance, transparency and the BLM’s multiple-use mandate."
Below is the text of Governor Mead’s letter:
_____________________________________
Office of the Governor
January 17, 2011
Secretary Ken Salazar
United States Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington DC 20240
RE: Secretarial Order 3310
Dear Secretary Salazar,
This letter is to advise you that I firmly oppose Secretarial Order 3310, which was released just before the Christmas holiday and while many gubernatorial offices, like mine, were in a state of transition. Though you will seek feedback from State BLM offices prior to issuing final agency guidance, the opportunity for public input on the policy itself was never afforded. The release of the policy as a done deal for states with a lot of public land, like Wyoming, invites suspicion. The Wild Lands policy has consequential uncertainty and yet an obvious motive -- to remove multiple-use possibilities from public land through the designation of lands as "Wild."
The State of Wyoming and the people of Wyoming want and deserve a say in the land management policies that affect the well-being of our State and our citizens. The policy ignores the contribution of Wyoming’s natural resources to the nation’s economic sustainability. It ignores the revenues our State and local governments depend on from mineral and other development. It fails to address the impact to ranchers, recreationalists, and all the others who rely on the lands for so many different reasons.
A Wild Lands designation will further drag out (if not permanently halt) the permitting process while local economies suffer. The BLM currently does not have the appropriate resources or track record for approval of plans and projects; and this will only make the problem greater and delays longer.
Only the elected Congress is given the power, by law, to designate official Wilderness areas. But, the policy seeks such designations by administrative fiat. With all due respect, the BLM cannot achieve these ends through this means. Please rescind the order for the reasons set forth in this letter and in the name of balance, transparency and the BLM’s multiple-use mandate.
Sincerely,
Matthew H. Mead
Governor
C: Bob Abbey, BLM Director
Don Simpson, BLM State Director, Wyoming
For more information contact: Renny MacKay, Office of Governor Matt Mead-Communications Director, (307) 777-7437, http://governor.wy.gov
Source: http://governor.wy.gov/media/pressReleases/Pages/20110118-1.aspx
Letter: http://governor.wy.gov/Documents/Governor%20Mead%27s%20Response%20to%20DOI%20Secretarial%20Order%203310.pdf January 17, 2011
Click here to see the PDF if the link to the Wyoming Governor’s website does not work: Matt Mead-Secretarial Order 3310
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