Bridger-Teton National Forest is proposing prohibiting energy development on more than 44,000 acres in the Wyoming Range.

Under the forest’s proposal, “the leases under suspension would be canceled and the leases under protest not awarded,” according to a draft supplemental environmental impact statement released Thursday. “There would be no opportunity for exploration and or development in the areas covered by the 44,720 acres.”

Energy development in the area might be inappropriate because of air quality and wildlife impacts, according to the document.

“The reasonably foreseeable development scenario would therefore be for no wells to be drilled to access oil and gas resources underlying these lease parcels,” the document says.

The public has 45 days to comment on the proposal. The final decision is expected in May.

The public had successfully protested lease sales on the land to the Interior Board of Land Appeals, saying the Bureau of Land Management neglected to properly analyze the impacts of development on air quality and Canada lynx. In August, the BLM rejected 23 leases on the 44,720 acres, or roughly 24,000 acres of the affected area. Several energy companies have since protested that decision with the Interior Board of Land Appeals. 

“Air quality, Canada lynx and neighboring ongoing oil and gas leasing all were considered in forest supervisor [Kniffy Hamilton’s] selecting a preferred alternative, Bridger-Teton spokeswoman Mary Cernicek said.

In a statement, Hamilton said, “The no-leasing alternative avoids impacts to the Canada lynx and precludes cumulative impacts to air quality and mule deer.”

There are currently 9,794 existing wells and a proposed 22,292 wells in Sublette County near the Wyoming Range. While emissions from drilling on the 44,720 acres alone were not likely to impact air quality, the environmental impact statement said, “when combined with other emissions in the basin, they would likely contribute to the cumulative impacts that are occurring.”

Conservation groups praised the document.

“That’s exactly what we’ve been hoping for,” said Steven Brutger, Trout Unlimited Wyoming energy coordinator. “I would applaud the forest for making this recommendation. It recognizes the value of that landscape and the value of preserving it for future generations.”

Oil and gas industry representatives did not immediately return calls for comment.

Leasing on the 44,720 acres helped prompt the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, which protects 1.2 million acres of the Wyoming Range from oil and gas drilling. The 44,720 acres were not included in the bill because the bill’s language precluded existing leases.

Written comments must be submitted to: Bridger-Teton National Forest, Attention Forest Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton, P.O. Box 1888, Jackson, WY 83001. Comments via telephone must be provided during normal business hours to 739-5500 or in person. Electronic comments must be submitted in rich text format or Word to comments-intermtn-bridger-teton@fs.fed.us. A copy of the draft supplemental environmental impact statement is available on the Bridger-Teton Web site at wwww.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_projects?forest=110403.