Wyoming Governor and Top Leaders Opt Out of Auctioning Land in Grand Teton National Park
On Thursday, Wyoming’s Governor Mark Gordon and other top leaders of the state decided to not proceed with the previously proposed plan to auction a large portion of state-owned land within Grand Teton National Park. Instead, they chose to engage in further negotiations with the U.S. government for a possible purchase or land swap in order to conserve the wildlife and valuable property.
In accordance with this decision, the state Board of Land Commissioners—consisting of the governor and four statewide elected officials, all of whom are Republicans—will revisit the proposal next fall, depending on the outcome of the talks.
“Thank you very much,” Grand Teton Superintendent Palmer ?Chip? Jenkins Jr. said to the board members after their 5-0 vote against auctioning the land for the time being. He continued by saying that, despite the fact that revenue from state land goes to the public school system, park employees are still wary of development in “inappropriate places.”
The State Lands Director Jenifer Scoggin previously proposed an auction of the land, reasserting the legal mandate to raise as many funds as possible for schools. The land had been appraised at $62.4 million, and Scoggin suggested that the minimum bid should be set at $80 million.
According to Scoggin’s report to the board, the most money to be obtained from the auction would come from a luxury home developer who sub-divides the land into lots of 35 acres or larger.
The public’s response to the auction proposal was one of uncommon disapproval. Over 12,500 people submitted a form statement to the state, asserting that the area should not be subjected to destruction through development, and that too much such activity has already occurred near the park.
The Kelly Parcel, located on the park’s eastern edge, is approximately a square mile in size and is currently only being used for road access and grazing leases. This land, home to numerous wildlife and offering an unobstructed view of the Teton Range, is extremely valuable and could be prime habitat for the wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Wyoming has owned this land since statehood, and it has been part of Grand Teton since its 1950 expansion. To date, the state has sold mineral rights for the land and an 86-acre parcel within the park, yielding a total of over $62 million. Negotiations to buy the Kelly Parcel began in 2015, but have been stalled since then.
In response to the public opposition, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder proposed the motion to delay the auction until talks with the federal government are complete. She argued that, while the current annual revenue of $2,800 from the land is not acceptable, the state should not settle for a “sweetheart deal” with the government.
Governor Gordon met with Interior Department officials regarding the Kelly Parcel at the Western Governors Association meeting in Jackson Hole last month.
In conclusion, Wyoming’s Governor and other top leaders have opted out of the previously proposed plan to auction off a large portion of land within Grand Teton National Park. Instead, the state will move forward with negotiations with the U.S. government for a possible purchase or land swap. State officials hope that such an agreement is possible that will satisfy both sides, and that the land will be preserved from development for the benefit of the public and wildlife.
