Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 2025

This bill redesignates certain federal land in Wyoming, releasing some wilderness study areas and establishing new wilderness areas, a national conservation area, a motorized recreation area, and special management areas. It also requires studies and a team for certain counties.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including the Bureau of Land Management, range improvement, the Secretary of the Interior, the State of Wyoming, and wilderness area.

Sec. 3, Designation of wilderness areas: Designates five new wilderness areas in Wyoming as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: Encampment River Canyon Wilderness (about 4,523.84 acres), Prospect Mountain Wilderness (about 1,099.76 acres), Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness (about 2,877.35 acres), Lower Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness (about 5,665.19 acres), and Bobcat Draw Wilderness (about 6,246.84 acres). Each area is described by a map and specific boundary exclusions.

Sec. 4, Administration of wilderness areas: The Secretary of the Interior will manage the new wilderness areas under the Wilderness Act, with specific provisions for fire management and related activities, grazing of livestock, and a statement that no buffer zones are created around the areas.

Sec. 5, Release of wilderness study areas: Congress finds that certain wilderness study areas have been adequately studied. The bill releases portions of 17 named wilderness study areas not designated as wilderness from further study requirements. The released land will be managed under standard land management laws, with specific management provisions for the Bennett Mountains, Dubois Badlands, and Copper Mountain wilderness study areas.

Sec. 6, Establishment of Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area: Establishes the Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area (about 4,446.46 acres) to conserve its ecological, recreational, and other resources. Management will allow only uses that further this purpose, restrict motorized vehicles to existing designated routes, and withdraw the land from mining and mineral leasing.

Sec. 7, Establishment of Dubois Motorized Recreation Area: Establishes the Dubois Motorized Recreation Area (about 367.72 acres) and requires the Secretary to authorize a boundary fence and later create a travel management plan for motorized off-road vehicles.

Sec. 8, Establishment of special management areas: Establishes two special management areas: the Bennett Mountains Special Management Area (about 6,165.05 acres) managed by the Secretary of the Interior, and the Black Cat Special Management Area (about 1,178 acres) managed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Both areas are to enhance natural and recreational values, prohibit new permanent roads and commercial timber harvesting, and restrict motorized vehicles. The Bennett Mountains area is withdrawn from mining and mineral leasing, with an exception for oil and gas accessed by directional drilling.

Sec. 9, Lander Slope Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Red Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern: Directs the Secretary to pursue land exchanges in Fremont County to acquire state land within two Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. It also requires a study on developing special motorized recreation areas in the county and establishes a Fremont County Implementation Team to advise on management.

Sec. 10, Study of land in Hot Springs and Washakie Counties: Requires the Secretary to study the potential for new special motorized recreation areas on Bureau of Land Management land in Hot Springs and Washakie Counties, with public input and collaboration, and to report findings within two years.