A coalition of Wyoming-based organizations is commending state senators who voted against Senate Joint Resolution 2 (SJ 2), a measure that sought to transfer federal public lands in Wyoming—except for Yellowstone National Park—to state control, County 10 reports.
The resolution failed in the Wyoming Senate on Monday in a tie vote during its third reading.
The Keep it Public, Wyoming coalition, which includes businesses, advocacy groups, and residents, expressed relief over the outcome. The Wilderness Society’s Wyoming State Director, Julie Stuble of Lander, issued a statement thanking the 15 senators who opposed the resolution.
Among those who voted against SJ 2 was Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, who spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of public lands to his constituents.
“People in my district love their public lands,” Case said. “They really don’t feel the state does necessarily a good job of managing the lands that the state oversees, (so) they use our federal lands. They love them. They use them. They love their freedom to be able to go there.”
Critics of the resolution, including business owners and outdoor recreation advocates, argued that state control of federal lands could lead to restricted access, privatization, and financial challenges for Wyoming.
Lauren Heerschap, owner of Brunton International, emphasized the economic value of public lands, describing them as the “backbone of the outdoor recreation industry.” She warned that efforts to transfer control from federal to state hands would jeopardize access and pledged to remain vigilant against similar proposals in the future.
Opponents of SJ 2 also raised practical concerns about Wyoming’s ability to manage millions of acres of land. Case pointed out that the state already struggles to fund wildfire suppression efforts on its current lands.
“I look at our struggling to refill a fire account for our own lands,” he said. “Can you imagine if we had the responsibility for fighting fire across all of Wyoming? We couldn’t afford it. We don’t have the tools to manage this land.”
