New Nonpartisan PAC Pops Up in Wyoming to Fight Public-Land Sell-Offs

A fresh political action committee has formed in Wyoming with one clear goal: stop the push to sell off public lands — and it’s calling itself strictly nonpartisan, Gillette News Record reports.

The group, called Protect Wyoming, launched recently in Powell and is geared toward opposing ongoing efforts — both in Congress and locally — that could lead to more federal public lands being transferred to private hands or state control. The organizers argue that public lands are a shared resource for recreation, habitat, wildlife and local economies — and not something to be quietly handed over to developers or special interests.

While specific details about the PAC’s strategy and backers haven’t widely circulated yet, its appearance comes amid broader regional debates about proposals in federal legislation that could open up vast swaths of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service acreage for sale or transfer. Federal lawmakers, including Utah’s Sen. Mike Lee, have pushed plans that critics say could put millions of acres at risk — even if those proposals have faced procedural setbacks or been stripped from larger bills.

Opponents of selling public lands say the issue taps into deep Wyoming sentiment: many residents value hunting, fishing, camping and grazing access on federal lands and fear losing that heritage. Recent public comment and activism around this topic suggest the debate could heat up as the 2026 election cycle ramps up.

Protect Wyoming’s nonpartisan label signals organizers hope to bring together a wide range of voters — from hunters and ranchers to outdoor business owners — who want to keep federal lands in public hands rather than up for grabs in development or privatization deals.

As the discussions continue in state and national politics, this new PAC is positioning itself as a watchdog on public land policy — ready to rally support, raise money and engage voters if it feels the winds shift toward selling off what many see as Wyoming’s crown jewels.