Wyoming State Parks and Bureau of Reclamation Invite Public Comment on Environmental Analysis of Buffalo Bill Reservoir and State Park | News

Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, is seeking public comment on an Integrated Resource Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (RMP/EA) for Buffalo Bill Reservoir and the state park.

The plan outlines potential improvements in recreation and other management actions for the reservoirs, which Reclamation owns and manages in terms of operations and which Wyoming State Parks manages in terms of recreation.

The draft RMP/EA describes needs and opportunities; public questions and concerns; goals and objectives; and the specific management objectives and measures proposed for the reservoir. Because the reservoir is federally owned and managed, proposed recreation improvements must be disclosed and analyzed under the National Environmental Policy Act. The draft RMP/EA also summarizes the public process and identifies potential environmental effects.

Specific and substantive comments received on the RMP/EA during the comment period will be analyzed and addressed by Reclamation. Comments received will help decision-makers determine whether to issue a finding of no significant impact. Comments on the draft RMP/EA must be specific and must address the adequacy of the statement and the merits of the alternatives discussed (40 CFR 1503.3).

The RMP/EA is available at https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/buffalo-bill-master-plan. Copies of the Draft RMP/EA and Master Plan are available for review during normal business hours at the Buffalo Bill State Park Office (4192 Northfork Hwy, Cody, WY 82414), the Cody Library (1500 Heart Mountain St., Cody WY 82414). and Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources (4th floor, Barrett Building, 2301 Central Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001).

Comments on the RMP/EA will be accepted in writing during the public comment period through June 10, 2024, and may be provided online via a comment form at https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index. php/buffalo-bill-master. -plan, by email to [email protected], or by mail to the Planning and Grants Manager, Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources, 2301 Central Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82002.

The public can learn more and provide written comments on the draft RMP/EA at scheduled open houses at the following locations and times:

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Shreve Lodge, 45 Lakeside Road, Cody, WY 82414

Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cody Library – Grizzly Room, 1500 Heart Mountain Street, Cody, WY 82414

Buffalo Bill Dam, built on the Shoshone River six miles above Cody, was completed in 1910, creating Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Named for famous Wild West showman, promoter and developer Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, the dam is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The dam, power plants and reservoir lands are owned by Reclamation, which retains primary jurisdiction over the lands and associated resources in the reservoir area. Much of the area was designated a state park in 1957, with the last major overhaul of the park completed in the 1990s after modifications to the dam.

The state park offers fishing, camping, picnicking, and a variety of water sports in settings ranging from remote and primitive to moderately developed. The state park currently has three boat ramps, nine developed day-use areas, two group shelters, and eleven picnic shelters, as well as approximately 100 campsites in two campgrounds which can be reserved through the state parks reservation system. Shreve Lodge, which can accommodate up to 200 people and has a large kitchen, is also available to rent for day use.