A long-awaited agreement to transfer a 640-acre parcel of state-owned land in Teton County, Wyoming, to Grand Teton National Park has reached its final stages.
Governor Mark Gordon certified on Friday that all conditions required for the sale of the Kelly Parcel have been met, clearing the path for its inclusion in the national park.
The $100 million deal, finalized after years of negotiation, ensures the land’s preservation while generating significant revenue for Wyoming’s public education system. The federal government will contribute $62.5 million through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, with the remaining funds raised by the Grand Teton National Park Foundation.
The Kelly Parcel, surrounded by Grand Teton National Park on three sides and Bridger-Teton National Forest on the fourth, is a scenic landscape featuring rolling hills, sagebrush, and wildlife habitats for elk, moose, and grizzly bears. It has been state-owned since before the park’s establishment in 1929, with its sale marking the last in a series of state land transfers to the park over the past decade.
“This is an iconic parcel, and we have been given a unique opportunity for it to join Grand Teton National Park in perpetuity while protecting current hunting and grazing uses,” Governor Gordon said in a statement.
The sale also aligns with Wyoming’s goal of increasing its land and mineral portfolios, as proceeds will be reinvested for long-term benefits to the state.
The agreement faced hurdles tied to federal land management policies. A stipulation from the Wyoming Legislature required that the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recent resource management plan for southwestern Wyoming not impose excessive restrictions on development, including oil and gas activities. Governor Gordon’s certification on Friday confirmed these conditions were met.
Despite approving the sale, Gordon criticized the BLM’s broader management plan, calling it “the Biden administration’s parting shot at the good people of Wyoming.” He expressed dissatisfaction with the plan’s alignment with state priorities and signaled potential litigation and further advocacy with federal officials under a new administration.
The Kelly Parcel transaction caps nearly 15 years of efforts involving Wyoming officials, conservation groups, and the federal government. While securing the land for conservation, the sale underscores ongoing tensions between state and federal priorities in land management.
Public testimony during the negotiation process revealed widespread support for the sale, particularly for the educational benefits derived from the proceeds.
The Associated Press, Wyo File, and Wyoming Tribune Eagle contributed to this report.
