A representative from the Rural Public Lands County Council was in Washington D.C. the last two weeks advocating for energy development and the Secure Rural Schools tax on the Western Slope.
Robert Weidner speaks on behalf of Garfield County in Washington D.C. on public land matters.
In the last couple of weeks, Weidner met with several representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Weidner said these departments are focused on boosting energy production through mining, timber harvests and natural gases.
He said the Trump administration is moving at “warp speed” with a host of public lands issues.
“They have an interior phrase that they’re using: ‘mine baby mine’, as well as ‘drill baby drill’, and considering them side by side as one in the same,” Weidner said.
He told federal government representatives that Garfield County has abundant natural gas resources but needs help to harness it all. In a meeting with Garfield County commissioners Monday, Weidner said the Biden administration impeded public lands access.
“So the Trump folks, they made it very clear that they want to abide by environmental laws, they just want to do it faster and better, and the same goes for oil and gas,” he said.
This comes after Garfield County commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in support of the West Mamm Creek Pipeline Project in February, despite concerns from local environmental advocates.
Weidner also said the Trump administration’s agriculture department, as well as the U.S. Forest Service, are “gungho” about reopening areas for timber harvesting. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is committed to getting the Forest Service to increase its timber sales, which would mean more revenue for counties through Secure Rural School payments.
These payments have provided funding to counties with national forests to support schools, roads and other services since 2000. However, the payments expired in October 2023, with the last round going out last spring, and need reauthorization.
These funds impact Payments in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT payments, which are federal payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal lands.
Garfield County received over $305,000 in these payments last year.
Possible Alternatives
Weidner is working on behalf of Garfield County on bipartisan legislation that will spur active forest management in the U.S. and protect rural communities. But it will not generate sufficient revenues to replace Secure Rural School payments.
Weidner says these payments must continue on a stand-alone basis.
The legislation Weidner is working on passed the House in February and is awaiting action by the Senate this spring.
Weidner is grateful that the Trump administration’s political objectives align with Garfield County commissioners’ policy goals.
“It’s a welcome breath of fresh air to have an administration who will work with us on things that are very important to us,” commissioner Mike Samson said.
