The U.S. federal government has acquired a piece of land within Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park to ensure it is not developed privately.

On Friday, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon confirmed the sale of the “Kelly Parcel,” a tract of land, to the U.S. Department of the Interior for $100 million. Previously, Gordon expressed his intention to use the sale proceeds to purchase additional federal lands and minerals in Wyoming, as noted in a press release. This $100 million could be paired with around $62 million from selling other lands in Teton County, Wyoming, for similar purposes.

The Interior Department, utilizing the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, covered $62.4 million of the total acquisition cost. The Grand Teton National Park Foundation raised the leftover $37.6 million through private contributions, according to a statement from the foundation.

“With the protection of this significant parcel of land, we can now work towards ensuring that there is no net-gain in federal lands in Wyoming,” Governor Gordon commented. “My aim is to use the funds from this sale to enhance the state’s collection of lands and minerals, and this marks our initial step.”

The private funding mainly came from two unnamed families, along with contributions from the National Park Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Jackson Hole Hand Trust, and nearly 400 donors from 46 states, who collectively contributed between $10 and $15 million, as reported by the Grand Teton National Park Foundation.

Here’s what you need to know.

Governor’s Actions Met with Criticism

Even though the sale has been finalized, Governor Gordon has criticized the Bureau of Land Management, which falls under the Department of the Interior, for its handling of the transaction. In a press release, he asserted that the federal government, particularly under the Biden-Harris Administration, has been slow to act on the sale against the interests of Wyoming residents.

“When President Trump was in office, and with former Governor Burgum leading the Department of the Interior, along with a Republican majority in Congress, I am confident we would have completed this project and corrected the course from the disruptions of the past four years,” Gordon added in the press release. Doug Burgum, a former North Dakota governor, was recently appointed by Trump to oversee the Department of the Interior.

The Bureau of Land Management did not respond immediately to inquiries about the Kelly Parcel acquisition when approached by YSL News on Tuesday.

Long in the Making

The completed sale follows several years of negotiations regarding the Kelly Parcel. The Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners, which includes Governor Gordon, approved the sale last November.

Over the last twelve years, the Board of Land Commissioners has sold three parcels of land near Grand Teton National Park to the U.S. Department of Labor, which raised $62 million. Per state law, the board is allowed to use these proceeds to acquire more federal lands.

Concerning the Kelly Parcel, there were earlier discussions about putting it up for public auction, which would have opened it up to private developers.

What is the Kelly Parcel?

The Kelly Parcel encompasses 640 acres within Grand Teton National Park and is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It has been under state ownership since Wyoming was formed, but it became part of the national park in 1950.

This parcel is designated as state trust land, meaning that revenues generated from it support public schools in Wyoming, according to the state constitution. The Grand Teton National Park Foundation noted that it currently generates approximately $2,800 annually through various permits.

Following the sale, approximately $69.6 million is expected to be reinvested into Wyoming’s Common School Permanent Fund over the next decade, as indicated by the Grand Teton National Park Foundation.