Editor:

Martha Jenkins’ recent article, “Wyomingites have a chance to defend a national treasure,” accused Gov. Mark Gordon, Rep. Bill Allemand and other legislators as being up in arms and hyperbolic over an upcoming BLM land management proposal for the Red Desert. She defends the BLM as if it were some docile agency out for everybody’s good.

She revealed her true colors with her statement saying, “no one lives in Wyoming for the people. We all live here for the land.” I suppose her lack of concern for people is why she didn’t tell you that the Plan B proposal the BLM wants to enact will (according to Rep. Scott Heiner) eliminate 3,000 jobs in southwest Wyoming. It will reduce the gross domestic product of Wyoming by $1 billion a year.

She didn’t tell you that BLM’s Plan B will drive some ranchers out of business because of restricted grazing and it will deny access to some ranches because of no recorded right of way. There will be huge restrictions on mineral leasing and of course there is the ‘no surface occupancy’ conundrum.

As far as solid leasable minerals go, don’t think about mining coal and barely think about trona mining. Fluid minerals like oil and natural gas are highly restricted and with the “no surface occupancy” red tape, rest assured access to them will be very difficult. And for those who have an ATV, if Plan B passes you might as well park it next to the exercise machine you don’t use.

Martha slyly assures us that accepting BLM’s Plan B proposal Wyomingites is about protecting a treasure. Wisely, a lot of other people, including some legislators, don’t think so. Common sense people know that handing over control of your valuables to a thief isn’t wise.

By the way who governs the BLM? Why does the BLM accept comments about the proposal from outsiders, including people from other countries? And why does Plan B align so closely with the UN’s “Simulated Reserve and Corridor System to Protect Biodiversity” plan? I’ve seen the image and it’s alarming.

I can’t help but think Martha’s connection to the UNHCR (a United Nations organization) is influencing her to convince us that trusting Wyoming’s treasure to the Bully Land Management is a good idea. I say bully because they did not allow public comments at their Rock Springs and Lyman proposal meetings.

And don’t think the BLM will stop there if they are allowed to have their way. I’m willing to bet more than the “one” Red Desert treasure has caught their eye. Rep. Harriet Hageman is right in pushing to block the proposal before it is finalized.

In the meantime, if you would like to make a specific comment about why you oppose Plan B, go to https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/13853/510. In your comments be specific and be kind. Also write to legislators and especially Gov. Mark Gordon asking him to do everything in his power to limit BLM’s nonsensical overreach. It is an important time for the people of Wyoming to voice their opinion on how to steward our treasure, not the BLM. Remember your comments will make a difference.

Doug Cox

Evanston