WyoFILE: A turning point for public lands and the businesses they support

An opinion piece by Ellen and Steve Bechtel:

What a difference a year makes.

By most accounts, 2025 was a difficult year for the champions of America’s public lands. Challenges came from almost every front, including Wyoming’s own statehouse, where  Senate Joint Resolution 2 called for the transfer of all federal land in Wyoming (except Yellowstone National Park) to the state. It was defeated in the Senate by a single vote.

This year, however, Wyoming reached a monumental turning point. Rather than calling for the transfer — and eventual selloff — of our state’s 30 million acres of public lands, the Wyoming Legislature passed a resolution that calls on Congress to recognize the value of keeping our public lands in public hands. Flanked by legislators, hunters and outdoor advocates, Gov. Mark Gordon signed the bill late last week in a public ceremony.

Read more on WyoFile.