Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee elects Eyde and Wharfe as co-chairs

The Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee elected Senator Bob Eyde as its senate co-chair and Representative Wharfe as its house co-chair during the committee's organizational meeting.

The committee convened with a quorum present and opened nominations for one senator and one representative to serve as co-chairs, as required by statute. Nominations were made from the floor and each candidate was confirmed by voice vote. Committee staff recorded the outcome as approved by voice vote; no roll-call tally was taken on the record.

Committee members discussed transferring presiding duties to the newly elected co-chairs; Representative Wharfe and Senator Eyde accepted and assumed the chairing responsibilities for the meeting. The new co-chairs outlined an immediate agenda to develop interim topics and set meeting locations and dates around key issues such as wildfire management, timber sales and federal land management plans (RMPs).

The committee did not take additional formal votes during the meeting but agreed to proceed with staff drafting the standard interim topics letter for co-chair review and submission to Management Council.

The co-chairs asked members to provide availability for three one-day interim meetings and to identify regional sites (Western Wyoming, Buffalo area, and Laramie region were discussed) for field meetings that could include agency briefings and local collaborative presentations.

Notes: Because the election was confirmed by voice vote on the record, the transcript records the outcome as approved; no roll-call vote or numeric tally was given.