Bill · S. 681· Senate(119-S-681)
Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 2/20/2025
- Last activity
- 2/20/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S1131-1135)
- Sponsored by
- John Barrasso
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 2025 redesignates various lands within the State of Wyoming. It designates several areas as wilderness, including the Encampment River Canyon, Prospect Mountain, Upper and Lower Sweetwater Canyon, and Bobcat Draw wilderness areas. The bill also establishes the Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area and the Dubois Motorized Recreation Area. Additionally, it creates several Special Management Areas such as Bennett Mountains, Black Cat, Sweetwater Rocks, Fortification Creek, Fraker Mountain, North Fork, and Cedar Mountain. Finally, the act directs studies regarding motorized recreation potential in Hot Springs and Washakie Counties.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+7
The bill designates several wilderness areas and conservation areas to protect ecological and natural resources.
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?+6
The bill establishes specific management plans and protections for various public lands in Wyoming.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+2
The bill directs studies to evaluate the potential for new motorized recreation areas to benefit local counties.
The opposite· 3 of 5
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?-4
The bill limits mineral leasing and prohibits certain types of surface occupancy for oil and gas extraction in several areas.
Would business owners be better off under this?-3
The bill limits resource extraction and commercial timber harvesting in specific areas.
Does this make it easier to run a small business?-2
The bill restricts certain types of land use and resource extraction that could impact local industries.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Wilderness Designation: Certain Federal lands will be designated as wilderness areas, including Encampment River Canyon, Prospect Mountain, Upper and Lower Sweetwater Canyon, and Bobcat Draw (Section 3).
-
Fire Management: The Secretary must establish a fire management plan to ensure timely control of fires, diseases, and insects, while providing protection to adjacent Federal, State, or private lands (Section 4(b)).
-
National Conservation Area: The establishment of the Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area aims to conserve and enhance ecological, wildlife, recreational, and natural resources for present and future generations (Section 6(b)).
-
Motorized Recreation: The establishment of the Dubois Motorized Recreation Area allows for the coordination of motorized off-road vehicle use (Section 7(a)).
-
Special Management Areas: These areas are established to enhance natural, historic, scenic, recreational, and wildlife values (Section 8).
-
Recreation Studies: The Secretary will conduct studies to evaluate the potential for developing new special motorized recreation areas in Fremont, Hot Springs, and Washakie Counties (Section 9 and Section 10).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Restrictions on Motorized Use: In several designated areas, such as the Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area and various Special Management Areas, the construction of new permanent roads is prohibited, and motorized vehicle use is restricted to existing roads and trails (Section 6(d), Section 8(a), and Section 8(b)).
-
Restrictions on Industry: Certain areas, such as the Copper Mountain and Bobcat Draw wilderness study areas, have specific limitations on mineral leasing and prohibit certain types of surface occupancy (Section 5(d)).
-
Commercial Limitations: Commercial timber harvesting is specifically prohibited in the Bennett Mountains and Black Cat Special Management Areas (Section 8(a) and Section 8(b)).
-
Land Withdrawals: Much of the designated land is withdrawn from various forms of appropriation, disposal, and certain types of leasing (Section 6(f) and Section 8).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+7Improves Public Land Management+6Reduces Fossil Fuel Production-4
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support-2
- Governance And Ideology
- Increase States Rights-1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing-1
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+2Good For Farmers+1Good For Business Owners-3
- 2/20/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S1131-1135)
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming