‘Very rare or uncommon' repeal bill stirs debate

Legislation moving through the Wyoming Senate would strip the Environmental Quality Council of its power to give environmental protections to areas of the state that it deems to be “very rare or uncommon.” Supporters of House Bill 152, which passed the House last week, say the designation is out of date and that the EQC has abused its power to designate such areas, which then become off limits to any non-coal surface mining. But opponents say the designation is a needed tool in the fight to preserve important natural and historic landmarks in Wyoming. Since 1973, the EQC has designated 10 sites as “very rare or uncommon,” including Fort Phil Kearny and the Fetterman Battle sites in Sheridan County and Bessemer Mountain in Natrona County. Most of the sites listed are no larger than a few thousand acres. But, in 2007, the EQC controversially gave “very rare or uncommon” status to 180,000 acres of mostly federal land in the Adobe Town area of the Red Desert. Last year, after years of debate, the council denied a petition to give the designation to about 17,000 acres of federal land in the Sand Creek area of Crook County...more