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Sweetwater County says BLM ignored protests as RMP record of decision stands; county weighs litigation and federal outreach
Summary
Land Use Director Eric Bingham told the commission the BLM denied all protests to the Rock Springs RMP, substantially expanding closure and visual-class acres; county staff, counsel and commissioners discussed legal standing, Congressional Review Act options and outreach to the incoming administration.
Eric Bingham, Sweetwater County’s land use director, told commissioners that the Bureau of Land Management released a Record of Decision for the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan and that "all the protests were denied," leaving the final EIS and RMP unchanged from the draft.
The county emphasized immediate concerns about land-use designations that could affect infrastructure and local roads. Bingham said acreage closed to oil and gas rose from about 540,000 acres to 935,000 and visual-resource class 2 acreage increased from roughly 580,000 acres to 1.3 million acres. "There's been a lot of expansiveness in exclusion areas," he said, noting the Red Desert and other areas are now restricted in ways that may complicate right-of-way work and road maintenance.
Commissioners and county counsel discussed possible next steps. Attorney Danielle Bentoncourt cautioned that litigation requires showing legal injury and standing and recommended careful pre-litigation assessment so a challenge would not be dismissed on procedural grounds: "To have standing, you have to show that you have some type of legal interest, and that the RMP is injuring or impacting those interests," she said.
Commissioner Allen Richards criticized the BLM field office conduct during the local federal partners meeting and said he found statements by the field manager "gaslighting the RMP process," arguing the county must prepare to push back. Several commissioners urged state and congressional partners to consider options including the Congressional Review Act, negotiated stipulations, or litigation if necessary. Senator Jones and Senator Kolb attended and pledged to keep the county informed as federal appointments and review opportunities develop.
Why it matters: The RMP governs federal land management and can restrict development, rights-of-way and travel management across large swaths of Sweetwater County. County officials said they will continue to document impacts and coordinate with state and federal partners before deciding whether to file suit or seek other remedies.
Next steps: County staff will continue compiling the specific impacts to roads and infrastructure, pursue meetings with the incoming BLM leadership, and evaluate the feasibility and timing of litigation or negotiated agreements with federal counsel.
