We held a series of meetings late in the year to address the proposed change for Bureau of Management federal land in southwestern Wyoming. All of this fell under the proposed Rock Springs Resource Management Plan or RMP.

Receiving a specific Legislative assignment to join the conversation in Rock Springs, I made the trips at my own expense to a packed conference room on several different dates during the holiday season. 

The ultimate goal of those meetings hosted by UW was centered on seeking solutions to federal proposals that would have a dramatic affect on Wyoming’s economy, but in particular southwest Wyoming’s regional economy. 

As we covered a variety of topics on the RSRMP I was still very concerned about the decision to reduce oil and gas development by 73 percent and access to some 50,000 acres on Trona development. In my mind, that’s jobs, jobs and more jobs!

I understand the importance of preservation, but I also know what a job means to a southwest Wyoming family. In addition to the economic effect on all of the privately impact this would have to all the small businesses in Sweetwater, South Lincoln and Unita counties. 

I finished with the meetings and came to the conclusion that we had addressed the issues at a higher level, but did not take it to the ground floor in Sweetwater county. 

So, like I do with all other issues, I pulled my cell phone out and made a phone call. This time it was to the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, D.C. and asked for an appointment with the director. The eventual meeting includes two of my Sweetwater Senators and a Sweetwater commissioner. 

This all came at the end of very busy Legislative session and I thought they might not consider my not consider my request. However a Cheyenne colleague sat down next to me on the Senate Floor late one afternoon and showed me a message from D..C. on his cell phone inquiring of my integrity. The message was from a key decision maker in this process. My colleague gave me a solid review. I thanked him. Shortly after I got a message with an invitation to meet with the director of the BLM. I traveled at my own expense. 

With my two Sweetwater Senators and Sweetwater county commissioner we made the “one-dayer” to all the key offices in D.C. to talk business. 

While we were in town, we included visits to the Wyoming D.C. delegation with our Representatives staff, Senators or their leading saff members. We expained our deep concerns for Southwest Wyoming. They listend and took notes on the report. The offices of Hageman, Lumis and Barrasso were were all very supportive of our efforts.

As for our visit to BLM, I felt like we had a listing ear as we explained our concerns and the diretor advised that our timing was perfect as decisions were still being formulated for  our part of Wyoming.

As I have done countless times with runs to Cheyenne or D.C. that in-person visit becomes vital to the decision making, both at the state and federal levels.

As I told a group of my Senate colleuges one day, while slapping a stack of bills on a conference room table, “This job isn’t just about passing a piece of Legislation, it’s about being involved with individual meetings for direct converations.”