The Wyoming State Board of Land Commissioners voted to sell the Kelly Parcel to the federal government, marking the final transfer of state-owned land within the park.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Wyoming State Board of Land Commissioners voted 3–2 on Thursday to approve the sale of the 640-acre Kelly Parcel to the federal government for $100 million, officially incorporating the state-owned trust land into Grand Teton National Park. The parcel, long considered a critical piece of Wyoming’s state trust land portfolio, represents the last such property within the park’s boundaries.
Governor Mark Gordon and other proponents of the sale argued it would secure funding for Wyoming public education, as required by the state constitution. Wyoming Senate President Ogden Driskill advocated for the transaction, calling it a significant opportunity. “This is a very rare opportunity for you to do the right thing for education in Wyoming,” Driskill said before the vote.
The Office of State Lands and Investments explained that the state’s constitutional obligation to optimize revenue from trust lands limited the parcel’s economic viability due to its location within the park. Selling the land to the federal government was determined to “reasonably meet” the needs of its beneficiaries, providing a more consistent revenue source than retaining the parcel.
However, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder voted against the sale, citing concerns about the valuation and the negotiation process. Gray questioned whether the $100 million price adequately reflected the land’s value and criticized the timing of the sale. “Why would we want Biden and Harris to move forward with a record of decision before the Trump administration begins?” Gray asked, calling for a better deal for Wyoming.
Degenfelder expressed dismay over the governor’s “quiet negotiation” with the Department of the Interior and argued that the state could have achieved a more favorable agreement. “To me, we can’t sell Wyoming short. I don’t believe that voting it down today or tabling it today, as I prefer, is closing doors,” she stated, labeling the Kelly Parcel “the most valuable piece of property Wyoming has ever had.”
Conservation groups welcomed the decision, emphasizing the ecological importance of the Kelly Parcel. Josh Metten, Wyoming field manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, praised the board’s approval, calling it a “win for Wyoming school children” and a significant step for wildlife conservation. “The Kelly Parcel contains the longest known pronghorn migration route in the world, numerous elk migrations, winter range for bighorn sheep and moose, and native cutthroat trout habitat,” Metten said.
The sale concludes decades of negotiations between Wyoming governors and the federal government. Previous sales of state trust lands within Grand Teton have generated $62 million, and the Kelly Parcel is the final piece to be transferred. While the board’s decision has sparked debate, the transaction underscores the state’s effort to balance conservation with its commitment to supporting public education.