With its recent acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation became the largest private landowner in Wyoming.
The deal saddled Occidental with a large amount of debt, which it is trying to reduce through various divestitures, including properties in the Wyoming Checkerboard, a patchwork quilt of public and private lands in the I-80 corridor.
The Checkerboard is also home to hundreds of free-roaming horses.
The Rock Springs Grazing Association, whose lawsuit against the BLM became the driver of the Rock Springs RMP Amendments, leased some its land from Anadarko. It also owns some of the private parcels in the Checkerboard.
Occidental is negotiating with a bidder and it’s not the state of Wyoming. Those in the know aren’t talking.
What will be the impact of the sale on RSGA? How might it affect the court order that’s forcing the closure of three HMAs and downsizing of a fourth? Will BLM’s decision in the case be influenced in any way by the negotiations?
