The 640-acre state parcel next to Grand Teton National Park could be auctioned off to the highest bidder! This undeveloped square mile is a critical migration route for elk and pronghorn and provides crucial winter habitat for elk and bison. After attempts for the National Park Service to purchase the property have fallen short, the state is considering a public auction, which would be a terrible mistake, with far reaching consequences.
If auctioned, this would be the first time that a state property adjacent to a National Park has ever been sold through a public auction process. Can you imagine what a private buyer might attempt to do with this prized property?!
We need to let the Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) know what a bad idea an auction would be, and the real risks involved with opening the sale of this land to any narcissistic billionaire or sovereign wealth fund!
The state should legislate the sale of the parcel to the National Park Service for the appraised price or higher, as they did with the Antelope Flats Parcel previously.
The only leverage we have right now is public feedback to the OSLI – let’s make the message clear – a public auction is an audacious idea that could easily backfire and compromise the irreplaceable ecological values of this special parcel. Let’s play it safe and make money for the state through a sale to the National Park Service.
Here’s how you can help save the Kelly Parcel from private development:
- November 9th – Mark your calendar NOW and come to the stakeholder meeting that Office of State Lands and Investments is holding at the Teton County library on November 9th to let your voice be heard (time TBD). We need to fill the room with conservation advocates for the Kelly parcel – tell your friends, let’s make it an Alliance event!
- Make a public comment – the comment period ends on Dec. 1st — Write comments to: Jason Crowder, Office of State Lands and Investments, at 122 W. 25th Street, Herschler Building Suite W103, Cheyenne, WY 82002 or by email at jason.crowder@wyo.gov. The alliance will be sharing our comments in the coming weeks.
Watch this space for further updates and action alerts.
