The federal government owns over 48% of Wyoming's surface area and 65% of its mineral rights.

This makes the federal government the largest landowner in Wyoming.

A Wyoming Senate panel wants Congress to give all that land and mineral rights to the state.

But they can keep Yellowstone.

In a 4-1 vote the Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources committee demanded Congress turn over the property.

You can read Senate Joint Resolution 2, “Resolution demanding equal footing,” at this link.

 

Then there is the issue of what is under our feet means. MINERAL RIGHTS!

The resolution demands 69% of the rights in the state.

FROM THE RESOLUTION:

"WHEREAS, under the equal footing doctrine, the new state of Wyoming became entitled to exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction over all of the territory dedicated to its purposes by virtue of Wyoming's act of admission, excepting only Yellowstone National Park and additional lands as Congress may subsequently choose to add to the park."

 

But such attempts have not gone so well for other states.

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed over 300 pages of legal arguments from Utah, Wyoming, and other Western states over ownership of millions of acres of federally managed public land.

Wyoming congresswoman Harriet Hageman argues that federal ownership is an occupation.

“The standard is whether the federal government’s actions would amount to an invasion and conquest of that land if—assuming a counterfactual—Utah was a separate sovereign nation,” said Hageman in her state filing.

With the demands once again being made we now wait to see what the response from the Federal government will be.

Wyoming Mountain Man Convention

Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods

New Generation Preserves Wyoming's Past

The Platte Bridge Company is committed to learning, teaching, preserving, and bringing history to life!

On the day these photos were taken the group was visiting Independence Rock and Devils Gate to learn about and honor those who had paved the way generations before.

Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods

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