Bills · HR 1472
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 1472Forests, forestry, treesWyoming
Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 2025
INTRO FEB 21· LAST ACTION FEB 21
READING
28MIN
COSPONSORS
0
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it makes permanent decisions about the future of significant swaths of public land in Wyoming. By designating certain areas as "wilderness," it ensures these specific landscapes are preserved in their natural state for generations, protecting wildlife habitats, water sources, and opportunities for primitive recreation like hiking and camping. This could mean a more pristine environment but also stricter rules about what people can do there, such as prohibiting motorized vehicles or new infrastructure.
At the same time, the bill releases other lands that were previously under consideration for wilderness status, opening them up for different types of management, which could include resource extraction, motorized recreation, or other uses. This represents a compromise in land management, aiming to balance conservation with other economic and recreational interests in the state. If this bill doesn't pass, these lands would remain in their current status (e.g., Wilderness Study Areas), leaving their long-term future uncertain and subject to ongoing debate and potential legal challenges.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Designates five specific areas in Wyoming (Encampment River Canyon, Prospect Mountain, Upper Sweetwater Canyon, Lower Sweetwater Canyon, and Bobcat Draw) as wilderness areas, adding them to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
This permanently protects these specific lands from development and most forms of motorized use, preserving them in their natural state.
PROVISION 02
Excludes certain small parcels, existing roads, and rights-of-way from the newly designated wilderness areas.
This allows for continued local access and use in specific locations while still protecting the larger wilderness area.
PROVISION 03
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to administer the new wilderness areas under the Wilderness Act, with specific rules for fire management and existing livestock grazing.
This provides clear guidelines for how these sensitive areas will be managed, balancing preservation with necessary actions like fire control and existing uses.
PROVISION 04
Mandates the establishment of a fire management plan for the wilderness areas within 180 days of the bill becoming law.
This ensures proactive measures are in place to protect the wilderness areas and adjacent lands from wildfires and disease.
PROVISION 05
Releases any portion of identified wilderness study areas that are not designated as wilderness by this bill from further wilderness consideration.
This clarifies the future use of these lands, potentially opening them up for other forms of development or recreation.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 0
R· Wyoming
YRS IN OFFICE
3
BILLS LED
57
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSFEB 21
Introduced in House
FEB 21
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 1472
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 21, 2025
Last actionFeb 21, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 21, 2025
House BillHR 1472Forests, forestry, treesWyoming
Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 2025
INTRODUCED FEB 21, 2025· LAST ACTION FEB 21, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
28 min
COSPONSORS
0
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
