Wyoming has decided to sell a 1-square-mile parcel of land bordering Grand Teton National Park to the U.S government for $100 million. Governor Mark Gordon signed off on the deal, ending the state’s threats to sell the land to a developer. The federal government will pay $62.5 million, while privately raised funds will cover the rest. The land, which offers a stunning view of the Teton Range and serves as prime habitat for various animals, will be added to the national park.
Despite approving the deal, Governor Gordon criticized the Bureau of Land Management’s plan for managing an area in southwestern Wyoming, calling it “the Biden administration’s parting shot” at the state. He expressed concerns about restrictions on development, including oil and gas drilling. Gordon has reached out to Wyoming’s congressional delegation and potential members of the incoming Trump Administration to address these issues. Interior Department officials have not yet responded to comments regarding the deal.
Wyoming has owned the property in southeastern Jackson Hole for many years, surrounded by Grand Teton National Park on three sides and national forest on the fourth. It is the last and most valuable of four state-owned parcels sold to be annexed by the park in the past decade. These lands were originally granted to states at statehood to raise money for public education. Despite their value, the parcels generated limited revenue through grazing leases and other uses, prompting governors to consider selling them in the past.
The Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of proceeding with the sale after discussing the possibility of negotiating a trade for federally owned mineral rights elsewhere in the state. This decision comes after years of governors attempting to persuade federal officials to purchase the lands by threatening to auction them off. The sale of this parcel marks the end of a long-standing issue for the state and will ensure the protection of the pristine land and its valuable wildlife habitat within Grand Teton National Park.
