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Dear Supporter,
The government is shut down, and once again we find our public lands and wildlife, as well as the civil servants who work as their stewards, will all be affected and exposed to the uncertainty that comes with a congressional stalemate. We’re keeping our ear to the ground as the shutdown persists. In the meantime, check out what else we’ve been up to.
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Rolling back protections in the Red Desert
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Yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management shared a draft notice of intent to roll back protections in the Rock Springs Field Office , which manages 3.6 million acres of public land in Southwest Wyoming including the majority of Wyoming’s iconic Red Desert. After more than a decade of planning and extensive input from developers, businesses, and the public, the recently finalized Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP) was designed to guide the management of these lands, and struck a balance between protection of wildlife, recreation, and scenic values with continued contributions to the nation’s energy needs.
Yesterday’s announcement threatens to dismantle that carefully crafted balance and disregard the overwhelming public support behind it. In fact, the RMP incorporated conservation measures backed by 92% of public comments on the draft and reflected 85% of the recommendations made by a local advisory group convened by Governor Mark Gordon. Keep an eye on your email for an chance to weigh in on this issue.
See our press release here.
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| | | HCNR field hearing in GTNP Sierra Club attended the House Committee on Natural Resources field hearing in Grand Teton National Park, where committee members celebrated the success of the Great American Outdoors Act. Members reaffirmed their commitment to the National Parks System, but as Nick Gevock writes in this national blog, our parks need more than promises. Check out the full blog here. |
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| | Laramie community members came together to celebrate Sun Day this weekend with the support of a host of community partners. The event was hosted at Laramie’s zero waste coffee shop, Sunshine Coffee, located inside the historic Laramie Plains Civic Center. It was exciting to not only host Sun Day at the most aptly named venue in town, but also to support the critical efforts that local businesses are making to move towards a sustainable future. Over 40 participants gathered throughout the day to talk solar, clean energy tax credits, and make art with the power of the sun. Click here to read the full blog. |
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Demand clean energy from Rocky Mountain Power!
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It was inspiring to see community members come together to support solar at Sun Day, but there is still a lot of work to be done to support Wyoming’s move towards a clean energy future. In fact, you can take action now to call on Wyoming’s largest utility company, Rocky Mountain Power, to invest in clean energy that will make rates more affordable and our grid more reliable.
RMP's parent company, PacifiCorp, has acknowledged that clean energy lowers costs. But it is ignoring its opportunity to acquire renewables at their cheapest, even though its own 2025 resource plan shows the need for more than 1,000 megawatts of new solar and wind over the next five years.
Here's the catch: This summer's budget bill slashed credits that make it 30% cheaper for utilities to build clean energy -- and they run out in the coming months. If PacifiCorp and Rocky Mountain Power don't act soon, those resources will still have to be built, but they will cost you 30% more!
Protect your rates: Demand clean energy now.
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Join us for the 3rd Annual Buffalo Bash!
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YOU’RE INVITED: Please join the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative on Indigenous Peoples Day (Oct 13th) for the 3rd annual Buffalo Bash! Festivities will include traditional games, live music, and a sunset Buffalo tour, all while enjoying delicious free food made by Jackie White with Wind River buffalo meat and ingredients funded by Sierra Club WY. Click here to let us know you’re coming!
We’re also looking for volunteers to support both the buffalo bash as well as the Wind River Tribal Conservation Summit, taking place the morning and afternoon leading up to the evening bash. Interested in lending a hand? Reach out to Kelsey to learn more.
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| In Solidarity,
Rob Joyce
Chapter Director
Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter |
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