Wyoming board could protect state lands with heritage designations

The board of land commissioners could designate specific parcels of state land as heritage sites. The provision covers specific parcels of Wyoming state land. The board could designate a parcel only if it finds exceptional archaeological, historical, or cultural value that industrial use would irreparably damage. Designation must fit the greatest long-term benefit of state land trust beneficiaries. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.

The department of state parks and cultural resources would review nominations and recommend action to the board. Nominations could cover state land proposed for heritage-site designation. The legislature would nominate the Glenrock buffalo jump as described in the National Register of Historic Places. Wyoming citizens, the legislature, local governments, Northern Arapaho or Eastern Shoshone tribal governments, and the state archeologist could nominate state land by applying to the department. The department would consult the Wyoming parks and cultural resources commission and the state historic preservation office before making a recommendation. The board could also consider land on its own motion. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted; the Glenrock nomination would then be considered under the proposed designation process.

After designation, the board could not authorize certain industrial uses and would consider leases for uses that benefit trust beneficiaries. These rules would apply to land designated by the board as a state heritage site and nearby lands meeting the stated harm test. The industrial-use restriction would cover the site and nearby lands when use significantly harms the site's visual integrity or archaeological, historical, or cultural value. The board would consider leases for education, research, sustainable tourism, or recreation it finds will not deplete, destroy, or permanently alter the site. These rules would apply after the board designates a site, if the bill is enacted.