Routt County officials placed a chair‑drafted letter and a proposed public‑lands resolution on the agenda for consideration at the next meeting, after the chair said she circulated the letter because the reconciliation package’s language is “pretty vague” and gives the U.S. secretary of the interior broad discretionary authority.

The chair said she circulated the letter to highlight concerns that the proposal could permit disposal of federal public lands without clear local oversight and that recent media reports overstated local governments’ rights under the draft language. “Colorado Public Radio put an article out about the reconciliation package and wrongly indicated that local governments would get the right of first refusal on these lands,” the chair said, adding that the outlet later corrected that point.

The nut of the county’s objection, as described in the meeting, is that the proposal would permit a secretary to consult with local governments but not require consultation or provide meaningful oversight. The chair said she put the letter on the agenda for ratification and will continue to present it as coming from the full board unless colleagues object.

Commissioners said they want a draft county resolution available for discussion at the meeting set for tomorrow; staff and several commissioners said they would collaborate to prepare that document. One commissioner noted the proposal’s language is broad and changing and urged caution about repeating unverified claims.

The chair also reported outreach from county staff and partners about related matters: a contact from Julie Stuter regarding oil‑and‑gas lease notices in the northwest part of the county and follow‑up help from Sally Ross on prior BLM lease objections. A Republican county commissioner on a travel‑team group also offered to write an op‑ed expressing similar concerns about lack of specificity in the bill’s treatment of affordable housing and other topics.

No formal ratification vote occurred during the work session; the letter and a draft resolution are on the agenda for the board’s next public meeting.

Background: Commissioners said the reconciliation proposal includes multiple provisions affecting federal land management, energy and leasing; county leaders singled out the bill’s discretionary language as their principal concern and sought to make that the focus of their written comments and any resolution.

Looking ahead: The county will consider the chair’s letter and a draft resolution at its next regular meeting. Staff said they will circulate draft language for board review before the vote.