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County staff plans comments and protests on BLM land‑use revisions; 10th Circuit remand noted
Summary
County staff said the Newcastle BLM Resource Management Plan revision was published in the Federal Register and set review timelines. Commissioners were told the county will prepare comments on the draft EIS and file a protest on the final EIS (protest due Dec. 16); Drew also summarized a 10th Circuit remand involving the Thunder Basin plan.
County staff provided a multi‑part update on federal public‑lands planning and next steps for county input.
Drew told the board the Newcastle Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Plan revision was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 15; the draft environmental impact statement has a 90‑day public‑comment window (anticipated to close around Feb. 15–16). He proposed scheduling a December planning meeting with the conservation district and a January in‑person/virtual workshop to draft commissioner comments and perform a line‑by‑line review prior to submission.
Drew said the BLM is also scheduling local public meetings for the draft and that he will work with local staff and Jeanne Whalen to publicize meetings on county channels and in local newspapers. He asked the commissioners to expect a draft template for county comments and a proposed protest for the final EIS; staff aimed to circulate a recommended comment packet the week before county submission.
On related litigation, Drew reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit reversed a lower‑court ruling involving the Thunder Basin implementation plan and remanded the matter, finding the need statement in the NEPA analysis was too narrowly focused and did not adequately explain rejection of nonlethal alternatives. He said that ruling likely pauses implementation until NEPA deficiencies are addressed and flagged an upcoming Thunder Basin working group meeting on Jan. 14.
Drew also noted forthcoming work on the National Oak Grove Amendment and other forest or BLM planning efforts; he said the governor’s office, the attorney general’s office and WCCA (Wyoming County Commissioners Association) are coordinating consistency reviews.
What’s next: Drew will schedule the county workshop, coordinate public‑meeting notifications, and circulate comment/protest templates for commissioner review ahead of the December/February deadlines.
