BLM and Forest Service update council on roadless rescission, Wildcat loadout review and wild‑horse gathers

BLM and Forest Service staff briefed the Emery County Public Lands Council on multiple land‑management items, from the recent rescission of the Roadless Rule to local projects and emergency actions.

Forest Service staff said roughly 40% of the local Manti portion had been designated inventory roadless area under the prior rule; rescission could allow managers to pursue more active treatments to remove beetle‑killed trees and otherwise manage fuels, though staff warned litigation or other challenges could limit near‑term options. They described typical constraints on permanent roads and explained how skidding and temporary haul routes are managed and rehabilitated after operations.

BLM staff reported a well‑attended Wedge campground open house and said public comments prompted reconsideration of draft documents for that project. They also described a Wildcat loadout proposal (a transloading facility to move crude oil onto rail) processed under a 14‑day emergency authorization and noted no new surface disturbance is planned for the facility footprint; the change is largely a change of facility operations on an existing site.

BLM staff said they had trapped 40 wild horses at Muddy Creek and planned a contractor helicopter gather to remove roughly 150 more animals; animals will be taken to facilities and offered for adoption, the staff member said, while NEPA work on the broader gather continues.

Next steps: BLM and Forest Service staff will follow up with dates for public meetings on NEPA topics, share details from the Wedge open house, and notify the council when public comment periods open for Realty Canyon and other projects.