Prepared by Vernon E. Lovejoy Lovejoy Consulting LLC POB 1085 Indian Hills, Colorado

Transcription

1 A Resource Based Report and Recommendations to Permanently Resolve the Disposition of 41 BLM Wilderness Study Areas, Land with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizens Wilderness Proposals in Wyoming Prepared by Vernon E. Lovejoy Lovejoy Consulting LLC POB 1085 Indian Hills, Colorado December 15, 2015

2 Table of Contents Page Section 1 Purpose of Report 1 Section 2 Background 2 Section 3 Methodology 3 Section 4 Relevant Information 4 Section 5 Recommendations 9 Conclusion 10 List of Tables Table 1 Original BLM WSAs and BLM Recommendations to Congress Table 2 Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizen Wilderness Proposals Information Table 3 Vegetation Table Table 4 Recommendation Acres Compared to all Acres in State of Wyoming Appendix I General Overall Recommendations Table 2 Recommendations Summary Table Map SW 1a - Existing Wilderness Study Areas, Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizens Proposals with Public Land Map SW 1b - Existing Wilderness Study Areas, Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizens Proposals without Public Land Map SW 2a Recommendations with Public Lands Map SW 2b Recommendations without Public Lands Map SW 3 - Oil and Gas Resources Map SW 4 Coal, Trona, and Uranium Resources Map SW 5 - Wind Resources Map SW 6 - Big Game Crucial Ranges Map SW 7 - Sage Grouse Occupied Habitat Map SW 8 - Sage Grouse Primary Habitat Map SW 9 - Sagebrush Focal Areas Map SW 10- Roads, Two Tracks and Seismograph Intrusions Author s note: This report has been revised since December 15, 2015, including correcting the omission of State and Private inholding lands for the Raymond Mountain WSA recommendation.

3 Appendix II Individual WSA Recommendation Maps Appendix II-1 Appendix II-2 Appendix II-3 Appendix II-4 Appendix II-5 Appendix II-6 Appendix II-7 Appendix II-8 Appendix II-9 Appendix II-10 Appendix II-11 Appendix II-12 Appendix II-13 Appendix II-14 Appendix II-15 Appendix II-16 Appendix II-17 Appendix II-18 Appendix II-19 Appendix II-20 Appendix II-21 Appendix II-22 Appendix II-23 Appendix II-24 Appendix II-25 Appendix II-26 Appendix II-27 Appendix II-28 Appendix II-29 Appendix II-30 Adobe Town WSA Information and Recommendations Alkali Basin/East Sand Dunes and Red Lake WSAs Information and Recommendations Alkali Creek WSA Information and Recommendation Alkali Draw, Honeycomb Buttes, Oregon Buttes, South Pinnacles, and Whitehorse Creek WSAs Information and Recommendations Bennett Mountains WSA Information and Recommendation Bobcat Draw WSA Information and Recommendation Buffalo Hump and Sand Dunes WSAs Information and Recommendations Cedar Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Copper Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Devils Playground and Twin Buttes WSAs Information and Recommendations Dubois Badlands and Whiskey Mountain WSAs Information and Recommendations Encampment River Canyon WSA Information and Recommendation Ferris Mountains WSA Information and Recommendations Fortification Creek WSA Information and Recommendations Gardner Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Honeycombs WSA Information and Recommendation Lake Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Lankin Dome, Miller Springs, Savage Peak, and Split Rock WSAs Information and Recommendations McCullough Peaks WSA Information and Recommendation Medicine Lodge WSA Information and Recommendation North Fork WSA Information and Recommendation Owl Creek WSA Information and Recommendation Prospect Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Raymond Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Red Butte WSA Information and Recommendation Red Creek Badlands WSA Information and Recommendation Scab Creek WSA Information and Recommendation Sheep Mountain WSA Information and Recommendation Sweetwater Canyon WSA Information and Recommendation Trapper Creek WSA Information and Recommendation

4 Section 1 Purpose of the Report The purpose of the report is to assist in resolving the disposition of approximately 576,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands that are currently within 41 Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs), including adjacent Lands with Wilderness Characteristics (LWCs) and Citizens Wilderness Proposals (CWPs). The WSAs have been in an interim wilderness management status for about 35 years. The intended audience for these recommendations can generally be described as the people s representatives, including the Wyoming US Congressional Delegation; the Governor and other state elected officials and their staffs; county commissioners; and community officials that will be affected by these recommendations. However, just as important are other interest groups and individuals that include livestock producers, mineral and energy industries, private landowners, numerous conservation groups, tourism organizations and of course the public. Everyone has a voice in the management of their Federal public lands. If legislation is introduced regarding the WSAs, the information and recommendations in this report can serve as a reliable asset in the decision making process. The report is based on the premise that after 35 years of speculation, the impacts from WSAs on other resources, in particularly energy production, are now much better known and understood. There is no legal requirement to conduct new formal planning or studies (such as an Environmental Impact Statement) which would only continue to prolong the decisions for yet another indefinite period of time. The recommendations identify WSAs that have special characteristics and deserve being protected for wilderness or other conservation purposes. It also identifies State and private lands associated with these recommendations. However, not every WSA has the size or intrinsic qualities for such a role. Therefore, some WSAs have been recommended for release. This document is structured to make it easy for reviewers to access a condensed collection of information without reading volumes of Federal WSA information, multiple studies or other documents. 1

5 Based upon this objective analysis, each of the WSAs are recommended for one of four actions listed below: Wilderness most protective and managed to maintain untrammeled lands; National Conservation Area designed with a wider range of purposes, including recreation and protection of natural/cultural resources; National Monument natural or cultural values are protected for research and enjoyment; Released from WSA status In the case of the first three land classifications, these lands would become part of the BLMs National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS). The purpose of NLCS is to conserve, protect and restore these nationally significant landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations. Section 2 Background The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 established the current basis for the management of BLM lands. One requirement in FLPMA was an inventory of all BLM lands for wilderness characteristics, establishment of WSAs, and recommendations to Congress for wilderness designation. BLM lands were inventoried for wilderness characteristics in the late 1970s and refined throughout the 1980s. The final WSA decisions for Wyoming were submitted by the BLM to Congress in The WSAs are listed on Table 1 and shown on Statewide Maps SW 1a and 1b. These WSA recommendations to Congress have never been amended, even though the circumstances that lead to the decision on some of the original boundaries has changed dramatically. For example, in the Adobe Town WSA lands that contained pre-flpma oil and gas leases were considered unmanageable, regardless of wilderness characteristics and were not included in the final 1992 Wilderness recommendation. Since then all pre-flpma leases have expired. Even though the WSA information is outdated, it is not necessary for Congress to request an update. Likewise, the BLM is not responsible for providing new relevant information as circumstances change, unless requested to do so by some appropriate authority. It is important to acknowledge that the BLM decisions submitted to Congress were based on the information available at the time and are no longer current. If the Congressional recommendations were made today, it is reasonable to assume based on the wilderness characteristics that the entire Adobe Town WSA would have been recommended for 2

6 wilderness. Fortunately, the Congress or for that matter any non-federal government entity (local, county and state government), conservation organization and the public should only use the WSA boundaries as a starting point. No one is restricted by those 1992 BLM boundaries when future recommendations are made to Congress. While the WSAs have been static since the original studies and recommendations to Congress, there have been new lands identified in the form of LWCs and CWPs. The establishment of LWCs and CWPs is a complicated dynamic process; and while the author made every effort to include as many of these as were known at the time of preparation of this report, some new LWCs or CWPs have probably been proposed. Because of the complex nature of how these areas are proposed and studied by the BLM, the author recommends that the audience contacts the BLM for the latest information related to LWCs and CWPs. Table 2 contains information on the LWCs and CWPs that were analyzed in this report. Section 3 Methodology This report focuses on using a visual format to make it easier to view the existing situation and provides justification for all areas recommended for some form of permanent conservation. A sophisticated Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to produce the maps in this document. The base layer GIS information came from the Wyoming Game and Fish Departments Geospatial Hub ( and includes land ownership, county boundaries, oil and gas well locations, and crucial big game ranges. The GIS information on the WSA locations came from the public Wyoming BLM web site ( The recommendation area boundaries were developed by the author based on the existing resource information, review of inventory information, field trips and characteristics of the WSAs. This report provides maps in two different forms. First, statewide maps were produced showing the existing situation, recommendations, and the geographic relationships of several natural resources (e.g. oil and gas resources, coal resources, trona, and uranium mines, wind power potential, crucial big game ranges, etc.). These maps provide the viewer with a good idea of potential effects these recommendations could have on important resources in the State. These statewide maps and a Table detailing the acres (Federal, State, and private land) involved with each of these recommendations are provided in Appendix I. Appendix II provides information for each WSA and contains maps at a larger scale to give the reviewer site-specific information. The WSAs are arranged alphabetically and assigned a 3

7 sequential number. Where several WSAs are close to each other, they are grouped and the alphabetically first WSA determines the assigned number. The individual WSA maps follow a consistent order where the existing situation is shown containing the original WSA boundary and any adjacent LWCs or CWPs. A map showing the recommendation in this report follows, then a crosswalk map combining the existing situation with the recommendations for that area. The next map shows the recommendation and nearby oil and gas resource information (e.g. existing oil and gas leases, previous drilling activity, current active wells and coalbed methane activity) current through The final maps show overlap with important wildlife habitats including crucial big game winter ranges, sage grouse habitat and sagebrush management priorities. Also provided in each of these site-specific WSAs is a BLM description of that area and a Table showing the acres involved with the recommendation. Non-Federal acres were identified and the estimated acreages are shown in the tables. Management of these non-federal acres would not change if the recommended designations are put into place. These non-federal lands could possibly be acquired through donations, exchanges or purchase and added to the conservation areas. The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of acreages and boundaries in these recommendations. However, due to the number, complexity and size of areas recommended, some minor refinements may be necessary. Section 4 Relevant Information The analysis considered the following factors which served as a basis for the recommendation: a) BLM Lands In Wyoming The BLM is the largest Federal land management agency in Wyoming, managing about 17.8 million acres. The current WSAs only occupy 3 percent of the BLM land base. By comparison, the US Forest Service (FS) manages over 9 million acres in Wyoming. Of that total, over 3 million acres (34 percent) are designated wilderness (Map SW 1a). Although the BLM administers more land in the State than the Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, FS, and National Park Service (NPS) combined, not one acre has been legislatively set aside for any type of a permanent conservation purpose. 4

8 b) Minerals/Mining Much of the statewide mineral extraction activities have occurred on BLM administered land or private lands that have Federal minerals. Since 1900 (115 years) there have been about 85,000 oil and gas wells drilled or authorized and over 40,000 attempts to develop coal-bed methane in Wyoming. The WSAs have restricted some efforts at mineral exploration over the past 35 years. However, based on the GIS analysis in this report, the WSAs have never been valuable production areas. Even before the WSA program was established, wells were drilled in WSAs, but none were ever productive and all are now abandoned. Map SW 3 (in Appendix I) shows well locations in and around WSAs through Individual WSA maps in Appendix II show oil and gas leased areas, as well as oil and gas and coal bed methane well locations. Although these maps were based on BLM and Wyoming Game and Fish Department information, some show leased areas that may or may not be completely accurate. Regardless, the situation will remain the same in each WSA as is it now, until some action is taken by Congress on each area. Wyoming is the nation s leader in coal production having produced 396 million tons in Forty-seven percent of the entire state overlays coal fields or formations. Twenty-three WSAs overlay coal fields or formations. However, the closest active mine is about 10 miles from a WSA and the remaining mines are over 20 miles from the WSAs (Map SW 4). Sweetwater County is known as the Trona Capitol of the World. The first trona mine was developed in 1946 and currently there are 4 operational mines. The trona industry has a significant beneficial economic impact in the southwest part of the State. In addition, the BLM has identified about 320,000 acres of land in the same vicinity that is suitable for trona mining. The closest mine is about 7 miles from a WSA (Map SW 4). Uranium mining in Wyoming was formerly a much larger industry than it is today. The uranium industry was hard-hit in the 1980s by the drop in the price of ore. The uranium boom town of Jeffery City, in Fremont County, lost 95% of its population in three years. Wyoming still has the largest known uranium ore reserves in the US. Currently there are 6 operating mines and several more potential mines going through the permitting process. The closest uranium mine is about 26 miles from a WSA (Map SW 4). c.) Wind Energy Statewide, the total area that has best potential for wind power energy development, categorized as Codes 6 and 7, is about 4,025,000 acres. The nearest active or proposed wind farm is about 20 miles from a WSA. Eighteen WSAs contain some lands within Codes 6 and 7, totaling about 20,143 acres or 0.5 percent of the state s high wind areas (Map SW 5). 5

9 b) Grazing Grazing already occurs in the WSAs and will continue if any WSAs are designated as wilderness or some other conservation area; therefore, this use would be unaffected. c) Vegetation Almost all of the WSAs are located at lower elevations than the FS wilderness areas. As a result, they have different soil types, less annual moisture and a different range of temperatures. Thus the WSAs contain many vegetation communities that are not represented or common in the FS wilderness areas. See Table 3 for a comparison by major vegetation types. d) Wildlife Habitat Many of the WSAs are important for wildlife, particularly when surrounding areas are developed. Thirty-seven of the WSAs contain crucial big game winter range. These ranges accommodate at least one or more big game species including elk, deer, pronghorn, or bighorn sheep. The WSAs have about 241,425 acres out of a statewide total of 18,251,259 acres of crucial winter range. Likewise, many of the WSAs provide sage grouse habitat, as shown on Maps SW 7 and SW 8. In 2015, national decisions were made regarding sage grouse management and Map SW 9 shows areas designated by the BLM as Sagebrush Focal Areas. The WSAs provide habitat as well as the opportunity for visitors to view a great variety of different mammals, reptiles and birds that in many instances are not common to the FS wilderness areas. The designation of wilderness or some other conservation designation would be beneficial for multiple species. e) Paleontology In this report the paleontology focuses on the Adobe Town WSA. However, paleontological resources can be found in many other WSAs. The Washakie Basin/Adobe Town is internationally recognized as one of the 3 most important areas on the North American Continent for the scientific study and viewing of mammals (including the possibility of very rare primates), birds, fish and reptiles of the Eocene Epoch. This Epoch occurred 34 to 56 million years ago. Adobe Town far exceeds Fossil Butte National Monument (NPS administered) in size, scenery, serenity, fossils, cultural resources and nearly all other attributes (WSA Map 1 (Wash) in Appendix II). In 1975, prior to FLPMA and the BLM initiating a wilderness program, the NPS determined that Washakie Basin/Adobe Town met all the criteria to be designated as a national monument. The WSA Map 1 (R-BD) in Appendix II shows the extent of the badlands area that contains a significant concentration of the fossils, including LWCs and CWPs areas. 6

10 f) Cultural Resources Many of the WSAs contain cultural resources, proving that they have been used by humans for thousands of years. Cultural resource field surveys have concluded that Adobe Town has an estimated 30 sites per square mile, which is considered an unusually high number in Wyoming. g) Year-round Access The Wyoming weather usually guarantees that at some point during the year most remote places will not be easily accessible. Most FS wilderness areas are not accessible for the typical visitor about half of each year because the access roads are administratively closed or because of snow depths. Conversely, some of the WSAs can be visited and utilized throughout the year depending on conditions at the time of travel. h) Economic Diversification Nearly every county in Wyoming recognizes the need to diversify their economy, especially those that are dependent on mineral production or agriculture. In the public land counties, new conservation area designations would have permanent economic benefits by identifying significant attractions that are not apparent to casual visitors. This would benefit counties and local communities that may not otherwise have much variety to offer visitors. Private entrepreneurs will start nontraditional businesses as a result of a new wilderness, monument or conservation area. There has never been a known negative economic consequence in Wyoming of having and promoting outdoor recreation, parks, historic sites, national monuments, wildlife refuges, wilderness, national recreation areas on Federal reservoirs or other conservation areas. In October of 2015, Governor Mead stated that the state budget would have to be reduced by $200 million dollars due to declining revenues from oil and gas. New conservation areas could become part of a statewide revenue strategy. Wyoming s conservation tourism, built upon parks, wildlife, wilderness, and outdoor recreation could be an integral part of a new Wyoming economy. This is especially true for rural counties with a significant amount of BLM lands. Adding wilderness, national conservation areas, and national monuments will create additional permanent jobs as new places become interesting options as tourist destinations. k. Background of Wyoming National Parks, Monuments and Wilderness History shows that tourism is just as economically important as other public land uses. In Wyoming, conservation areas are one of the most consistent beneficial economic producers. Indeed, every western state s economy is significantly influenced by tourism. 7

11 When Yellowstone was proposed as the nation s first National Park in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant, the naysayers standard rebuttal was, why make it a national park, no one will ever be there. Yellowstone s visitation figure for 2015 was over 4 million. This visitation data indicates a 16.7 percent increase compared to In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt established Devils Tower as the nation's first national monument. Many congressional representatives questioned the need for a national monument, much less the first one to be in remote Wyoming. Only the charm, wisdom, leadership and his knowledge of Wyoming landscapes made this possible. Devils Tower has always been one of Wyoming s most valuable landscapes, attracting visitors from around the world. At approximately the same time, President Roosevelt also began planning to set aside Federal land known as Forest Reserves, which are now the National Forest System. Grand Teton National Park was established in 1929 when Calvin Coolidge was President. However, the original park did not constitute all of the important parts of the landscape. Overtime, John D. Rockefeller Jr. purchased 35,000 acres of important private property for the specific intent of donating the land to the Federal government as an addition to the park s ecosystem. Once that donation occurred, President Franklin Roosevelt added an additional 221,000 acres of adjacent Federal land and the area was designated as Jackson Hole National Monument by Presidential Proclamation. In 1950 this national monument was added to Grand Teton National Park. The economic benefits of this national park are obvious, as Teton County now has one of the highest per capita incomes in the United States. The last area in Wyoming designated as a national monument was Fossil Butte in 1972 and multiple wilderness areas were established in 1984, during the tenures of Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, respectively. Note: Subsequent to the Jackson Hole National Monument being added to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming is now the only state exempt from Presidential Proclamations (via the Antiquities Act) for establishing new national monuments. Any new monument in Wyoming must go through the formal legislative process. The positive benefits of wilderness and other conservation areas have been demonstrated throughout Wyoming s history. The task discussed in this report was to determine if all, some, or none of the 41 WSAs has a role to play in the future of the Wyoming. Some WSAs may be better suited for designations such as a national monument, a national conservation area, or a combination thereof, instead of just wilderness. Some of these types of 8

12 designations allow for some other uses such as habitat enhancement and improved vehicle access. There are a variety of uses or purposes for these individual areas including: exploring, hiking, fishing, scientific studies, site-seeing, wildlife habitat/viewing, watershed protection, adventure tourism, photography, or just seeking a natural area for solitude. Hunting would continue in all areas and be managed in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. As the acreage of Wyoming s remaining natural places continues to shrink (Map SW 10), this may be the first (and in some locations the last) realistic chance to permanently preserve new landscapes that are not represented in the state s current wilderness areas, national monuments, or national parks. Nearly 75 percent of Wyoming is represented by prairies, high plains, deserts and badland environments. They are not the well-known Yellowstone, Teton or Wind River Range models. Most of the WSAs offer completely different opportunities and experiences for visitors. A variety of conservation areas enhances Wyoming s reputation and legacy as having many natural, interesting and unusual places. Section 5 Recommendations The WSA, LWC, and CWP recommendations are presented in the appendices - Appendix 1: General Overall Recommendations and Appendix 2: Individual WSA Information and Recommendations. The Appendix Table indicates the overall recommended acreage totals and Tables are included with each WSA in Appendix 2, showing recommendation acres. Table 4 provides a comparison of the recommendations to other Federal land management agencies and State land totals. The recommendations in this report reserve approximately 816,000 acres of predominately BLM land as wilderness, national conservation areas, or a national monument, out of approximately 1.5 million acres evaluated in this report. Those WSAs not recommended for some designation are listed and also shown on maps including a basic description; no other additional information is provided in this report. Where State and private lands are involved, donations, land exchanges or purchases are encouraged to improve the manageability of the area. However, management of non-federal lands would not change otherwise by these designations. There are 2 WSAs in the northern part of the State (Bighorn Tack-on and Pryor Mountain) that are located in both Wyoming and Montana. Since the majority of the acreage is located in Montana, these 2 WSAs are not included in the recommendations. 9

13 Conclusion Wyoming has continuously experienced boom and bust cycles with the mineral industry. When the bust occurs, much of the focus is on tourism and outdoor recreation as one of the State s major economic engines. Wyoming attracts an increasing number of visitors from all over the world that are seeking new outdoor adventures. Promoting tourism, developing new outdoor recreation opportunities or setting aside special places has always been a good decision for the State. The point is that throughout Wyoming s history areas set aside for conservation, preservation, outdoor recreation/tourism, regardless of the managing entity, have had a direct positive outcome for the state. The recommendations in this report would lead to a better balance of managing some areas for conservation purposes while leaving the vast majority (95%) of BLM lands still available for other uses. Wyoming could continue to benefit from traditional uses and implementation of these recommendations would most importantly require that the State s largest land manager (the BLM) to significantly increase its role in the management of conservation areas, enhancement of outdoor recreation and promotion of the tourist economy. The process that the Wyoming County Commissioners Association has begun on WSAs is a rare opportunity to develop a statewide BLM conservation package that could be forwarded to the Wyoming Congressional Delegation. Adding new worthy destinations to the conservation system in Wyoming would be a highlight for visitors to see vast landscapes that are completely different than the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) or FS wilderness areas. Visitors can be expected to stay longer in the State at communities that now only provide food, fuel and lodging to people passing through. If implemented, designated and marketed, these conservation areas will provide opportunities and entice tourist to visit and stay locally and enjoy wondrous places of which they are unaware. A prime example would be that visitors on the way to the GYA traveling along Interstate 80 will stay in Rawlins and Rock Springs and other communities longer to see a new national monument and a new national conservation area. Such landscapes are an easy sell. Even some travelers not going to the GYA but traversing I-80 will be tempted to stop and make otherwise unscheduled local visits. Likewise, communities like Cody, Powell, Greybull, Worland, Thermopolis and other nearby towns would realize increased revenues from tourism. 10

14 When a visitor stays overnight at the Old Faithful Inn, most of the revenues go to a large corporation (concessionaire) whose headquarters are in Denver. That concessionaire s primary contract requirement is to manage and maintain the Inn until their contract expires. If that same visitor stays at a local hotel in Rawlins/Rock Springs while visiting a wilderness area, national monument or a national conservation area, the revenue is retained by that local business. Certainly these areas being discussed for final designation have noteworthy features that would be of high interest to various types of travelers. By designating them within the discussed categories, it would then lend itself to local and statewide marketing as well as links on various websites frequently viewed by people planning trips to some of the major destination areas (Yellowstone and Tetons and others just passing through ). At present these WSAs remain virtually unknown to travelers and many locals, even when they are relatively easy to visit and in reasonably close proximity to common travel routes. Many of these areas are also less than a day s drive from metropolitan Denver and Salt Lake City, making long weekend type trips possible and more cost effective for a majority of families who could not otherwise afford or have time to go to the GYA. Combined these metro areas have about 6 million people and a growing population. To most of the country (and internationally) Wyoming has a certain allure of having wildlands and a frontier reputation. These areas could add to that mystique and thereby play an increased role and benefit to local communities. From a purely statewide budget standpoint, except for promotional marketing/media and perhaps helping improving vehicle access in some instances, creating these new destinations will have little negative effect on local or state government budgets. Overall revenues generated by new visitors should more than make up any supporting expenditures. Increased visitation is usually a good problem. 11

15 Table 1 Original BLM WSAs and BLM Recommendations to Congress Map Attachment No. WSA NAME Most Recent GIS Acres County(s) Acres in 1992 BLM Recommendation 1 Adobe Town 86,927 Sweetwater 10,920 2 Alkali Basin/East Sand Dunes 12,804 Sweetwater 0 3 Alkali Creek 9,483 Big Horn 8,187 4 Alkali Draw 17,935 Sweetwater 0 5 Bennett Mountain 5,996 Carbon 0 6 Bobcat Draw 17,003 Big Horn - 3,141 ac Washakie - 13,861 ac 18,540 7 Buffalo Hump 9,504 Sweetwater 6,080 8 Cedar Mountain 20,504 Hot Springs - 4,059 ac Washakie - 16,444 ac 10,223 9 Copper Mountain 6,940 Fremont 0 10 Devil's Playground 16,103 Sweetwater 16, Dubois Badlands 4,583 Fremont 0 12 Encampment River Canyon 4,563 Carbon 4, Ferris Mountains 21,822 Carbon 22, Fortification Creek 12,417 Johnson - 3,484 ac Campbell - 8,933 ac 0 15 Gardner Mountain 6,280 Johnson 0 4 Honeycomb Buttes 42,371 Sweetwater - 29,505 ac Fremont - 12,865 ac 37, Honeycombs 20,214 Washakie 0 17 Lake Mountain 13,644 Sublette 0 18 Lankin Dome 6,353 Fremont 0 19 McCullough Peaks 25,211 Park 8, Medicine Lodge 7,164 Big Horn 3, Miller Spring 6,710 Natrona 0 21 North Fork 10,019 Johnson 0 4 Oregon Buttes 5,873 Sweetwater 5, Owl Creek 680 Fremont - 1 ac Hot Springs ac Prospect Mountain 1,142 Carbon 1, Raymond Mountain 33,103 Lincoln 32, Red Butte 10,815 Big Horn 0 26 Red Creek Badlands 8,710 Sweetwater 0 2 Red Lake 9,572 Sweetwater 0 7 Sand Dunes 28,397 Sweetwater 21,304 1

16 Table 1 Original BLM WSAs and BLM Recommendations to Congress Map Attachment No. WSA NAME GIS Acres County(s) Acres in 1992 BLM Recommendation 18 Savage Peak 7,168 Natrona 0 27 Scab Creek 7,748 Sublette 7, Sheep Mountain 23,299 Big Horn 0 4 South Pinnacles 10,928 Sweetwater 0 18 Split Rock 14,006 Natrona - 11,851 ac Fremont - 2,155 ac 0 29 Sweetwater Canyon 9,167 Fremont 0 30 Trapper Creek 7,492 Big Horn 7, Twin Buttes 8,195 Sweetwater 8, Whiskey Mountain 521 Fremont 0 4 Whitehorse Creek 5,048 Sweetwater ac Fremont - 4,155 ac 0 Total 576, ,578 2

17 Table 2 - Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizen Wilderness Proposals Information No Change In Name Acres Nearest WSA Recommendation Acres in NM Acres in NCA Acres in Wilderness Management Acres 0008 DH 6,423 Honeycombs No Change in Management 6, DH 6,190 Honeycombs No Change in Management 6, PR 8,763 Cedar Mountain No Change in Management 8, PR 7,938 Medicine Lodge No Change in Management 7, JW 1,057 Honeycombs No Change in Management 1, JW 248 Honeycombs No Change in Management PR 14,998 Alkali Creek No Change in Management 14, PR 7,105 Trapper Creek No Change in Management 7, PR 2,731 Medicine Lodge No Change in Management 2, TriState Gooseberry N Platt 13,456 Red Butte Red Butte Wilderness 13, DH 553 Owl Creek No Change in Management TS 2,504 Owl Creek No Change in Management 2, AK 13,924 Sheep Creek No Change in Management 13, AK 6,414 Red Butte No Change in Management 6, Lower, Upper AK 21,153 Bobcat Draw No Change in Management 21, CW 11,212 Cedar Mountain No Change in Management 11, AK 8,390 Bobcat Draw No Change in Management 8, AK,PR 14,228 Bobcat Draw No Change in Management 14,228 Adobe Town Fringe Area C 10,568 Adobe Town Adobe Town National Monument 10,568 Adobe Town Fringe Area D 7,531 Adobe Town Adobe Town Wilderness 7,531 Adobe Town Fringe Area A 624 Adobe Town Adobe Town Wilderness 624 Adobe Town Fringe Area A 922 Adobe Town Adobe Town Wilderness 922 Adobe Town Fringe Area A 6,951 Adobe Town Adobe Town Wilderness 6,951 Adobe Town Fringe Area B 23,350 Adobe Town No Change in Management 23,350 Adobe Town Fringe Area E 13,481 Adobe Town Adobe Town Wilderness 13,481 Adobe Town Fringe Area F 4,662 Adobe Town Adobe Town National Monument 4,662 Alkali Creek NW CP 4,448 Alkali Creek No Change in Management 4,448 Alkalie Crk 43,809 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 43,809 Alkalie Draw 9,683 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 9,683 Bald Ridge 4,931 McCullough Peaks No Change in Management 4,931 BATES HOLE 5,041 Bennett Mountain No Change in Management 5,041 Bobcat Draw South CP, 626 AK 14,476 Bobcat Draw Bobcat Draw Wilderness & Release 14, Bobcat Draw South II CP, 508 AK 11,601 Bobcat Draw Bobcat Draw Wilderness 11,601 Bobcat Draw West CP 5,458 Bobcat Draw No Change in Management 5,458 1 of 3

18 Table 2 - Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizen Wilderness Proposals Information No Change In Name Acres Nearest WSA Recommendation Acres in NM Acres in NCA Acres in Wilderness Management Acres Carter Mtn 11,775 McCullough Peaks No Change in Management 11,775 Cedar Ridge 4,823 Sheep Creek No Change in Management 4,823 Dry Hollow 6,851 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 6,851 Face of the Bighorns 6,879 North Fork No Change in Management 6,879 Ferris Mountain West 5,270 Ferris Mountain Ferris Mountain Wilderness 5,270 Fort Hill 13,418 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 13,418 Honeycombs 164 CP 1,137 Honeycombs No Change in Management 1,137 Honeycombs NW 107 CP 2,016 Honeycombs No Change in Management 2,016 Honeycombs South CP 34,260 Honeycombs No Change in Management 34,260 Medicine Lodge North CP 5,069 Medicine Lodge Medicine Lodge Wilderness 5,069 Medicine Lodge North CP 1,126 Medicine Lodge Medicine Lodge Wilderness 1,126 Mesa Spring 8,788 Scab Creek No Change in Management 8,788 Milison Draw 27,855 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 27,855 Miller Creek 6,753 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 6,753 N. YU Bench 22,111 Sheep Creek No Change in Management 22,111 North Cow Creek 10,063 Adobe Town No Change in Management 1,335 8,728 Owl Creek CP, 661 TS 8,171 Owl Creek No Change in Management 8,171 Paintrock CP 8,806 Medicine Lodge No Change in Management 8,806 Pedro Mountain 11,407 Bennett Mountain No Change in Management 11,407 Perkins Creek 18,523 Lake Mountain No Change in Management 18,523 Red Butte North, 509 Ak Dorsey 19,537 Red Butte Red Butte Wilderness & Release 6,344 13,193 Red Cr. Citizen Proposed WSA, No Change in Management with acquisitions 4,955 Whiskey Mountain 4,955 Consolidated Areas 38,322 Bennett Mountain No Change in Management 38,322 Rotten Springs 6,105 Adobe Town No Change in Management 6,105 Rough Gulch 12,188 McCullough Peaks McCullough Peaks Wilderness 12,188 Sheep Mountain South CP, ,052 Bobcat Draw No Change in Management 16,052 Sheep Mtn 12,523 McCullough Peaks No Change in Management 12,523 Trout Creek 4,507 Trapper Creek No Change in Management 4,507 Whistle Creek 30,241 McCullough Peaks McCullough Peaks Wilderness 30,241 WY ,132 Red Creek Badlands No Change in Management 10,132 2 of 3

19 Table 2 - Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and Citizen Wilderness Proposals Information Name Acres Nearest WSA Recommendation Acres in NM Acres in NCA Acres in Wilderness Acres Released WY ,710 Red Creek Badlands Red Creek Badlands Wilderness 5,710 WY ,817 Red Creek Badlands No Change in Management 4,817 WY ,014 Sand Dunes No Change in Management 8,014 WY ,420 Buffalo Hump No Change in Management 6,420 WY ,114 Red Desert NCA 8,114 WY ,232 Red Desert NCA 8,232 WY ,416 Honeycomb Buttes Wilderness 6,416 Adobe Town Citizens Wilderness Proposal 43,187 Adobe Town Adobe Town National Monument 40,940 2,247 Totals 775,396 57,505 16, , ,268 3 of 3

20 Table 3 - Acres per Vegetation Type for the large Recommendation Areas Recommendation Areas FS Red Desert Adobe Town McCollugh Peaks Bobcat Draw Red Creek Buffalo Hump- Sand Dunes Raymond Devil's Playground- Fortificati on Alkali Recom. Total Category State Total Wilderness NPS NCA NM Wilderness Wilderness Badlands Wilderness Mountain Red Butte Ferris Mtn Twin Buttes Sheep Creek Split Rock Creek Creek Agriculture 2,458, ,454 0 Alpine 1,540,531 1,007, ,035 0 Aspen Forest 473,361 29,558 22,428 1, ,956 Badland 700,970 1,593 3,493 3,061 7,192 20,601 8, ,481 3,577 6,877 52,205 Basins Playa 8 0 Cliffs 335,316 3, ,537 2, ,355 2,736 14,930 Coniferous Forest 7,826,797 1,369,344 1,294,517 8,585 10,812 3,343 22,740 Developed 518, ,248 0 Grassland 9,674, , , , ,433 4,780 Greasewood 853, , ,279 Introduced Vegetation 1,098,964 2, Open Water 384,436 22,018 6,670 0 Quarries, Mines and Gravel Pits 95,713 0 Riparian 1,363,171 28,321 96, ,341* 491 1, ,411 Sagebrush 27,786, , , ,106 41,618 32,695 24,884 35,974 4,926 15,595 12,888 10,008 14,000 7,963 5,652 7,170 3, ,065 Saltbush Shrubland 4,222,578 2,863 79,251 84,110 14,345 10, , ,685 7, ,329 Sand Dune 797, ,335 30,244 68,492 Shrubland 357, ,440 23,366 0 Woodland 2,106,333 34,466 13,622 3,422 2,603 1,055 1,048 2, ,712 1,638 7, ,741 3,490 33,584 Totals 62,594,569 3,009,768 2,224, , ,993 70,099 45,447 40,945 38,627 32,672 30,512 28,747 26,511 23,148 13,749 12,947 10, ,772 Acres Check from Recommendations Table 62,340,000 3,170,000 2,344, , ,473 70,430 45,479 41,370 38,775 33,103 30,746 28,933 26,850 23,186 13,968 13,063 10, ,951 Only designations that are larger than 10,000 acres are included. Only vegetation categories that total over 1,000 acres in the designations are shown on this table. Only specific vegetation categories that are over 100 acres in any specific desgination are included. * - Riparian areas in Adobe Town are classified as Western Great Plains Saline Depressional Wetlands and are located in the Sand Creek and Skull Creek creekbottoms.

21 Table 4 Recommendation Acreage Compared to All Acres in State of Wyoming Category Acres Remarks Percent of Total Forest Service 8,854,278 WY BLM Web site ( agis/state/state-own.html) 14% (including USFS Wilderness) 3,170,000 5% National Park Service 2,223,094 4% Other Federal Agencies 2,416,396 4% State 3,860,585 6% Private 27,415,929 44% Water 435,594 1% BLM Acres 17,508,389 28% Total 62,714, % BLM Lands Only Total BLM Acres 17,508,389 % of BLM Land Total Acres BLM WSAs 576,410 3% Total Acres BLM Recommended Wilderness 230,578 Computation from BLM web site 1% Source: BLM Public Web site Total Acres LWC and CWPs 775,396 4% WSA Disposition Recommendations Total Acres Involved with the Report 1,490,882 Not entirely BLM land; inlcudes some private and State lands 9% National Monument Recommendation Acres 178,473 Includes 120,628 acres of wilderness 1.0% National Conservation Areas Recommendation Acres 209,141 Includes 109,860 acres of wilderness 1.2% Wilderness Recommendation Acres 428,733 Wilderness not part of a NM or NCA 2.4% Total Recommendation Acres Includes wilderness recommendations in NM and NCA and Wilderness recommendations for the LWCs and CWPs 816,347 (totaling 217,128 acres) 4.7% WSA Release Recommendation Acres 116,268 1% LWC & CWP Acres not included 558,268 3% Total Release Acres 674,536 4%