Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT): Stop Plans to Re-Route Highway 14 through the Lambert Ranch Pending Further Slide Movement

The Issue

The northern edge of the LAMBERT RANCH, a small, family-owned homestead, snuggles up against the beautiful Bear Lodge Mountains in northeastern Wyoming.  Part of the Black Hill National Forest system, both eastern and western ecosystems come together here  This is also historically significant land to the Native American tribes who held ceremonies at SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN and INYAN KARA MOUNTAIN, and who camped and migrated here en route to ceremonies at MATO TIPI (Devils Tower). 

The southern edge of the ranch is bordered by Highway 14.  The Bear Lodge Mountains are being threatened by the potential development of an open pit Rare Earth mine.  And now, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is considering REALIGNING HIGHWAY 14 THROUGH THE HEART of the southern portion of this small family ranch. 

Moving Highway 14 from its existing alignment along the southern border of the ranch (it currently winds around the “toe” of Rupe Hill), would significantly CHANGE THE WATERSHED and DESTROY AN ECOSYTEM of native mixed-grass prairie, ephemeral wetlands, and Gambel Oak woodlands that support wildlife and provide seasonal forage for mother cows and calves, yearling heifers, and steers. 

NATIVE PLANTS INCLUDE needle-and-thread grasses, crested wheat, bluestem, golden aster, western flax, and Wyoming sagebrush.  BALD EAGLES, owls, Red-tailed and Swainson’s hawks, Sharp-tailed grouse and the occasional Kestrel are often seeing soaring and hunting over the land, or nesting and feeding among the oaks and in the prairie grasses.  Whitetail and mule deer, foxes and coyotes, the occasional pronghorn and mountain lion, can all be found either living in or migrating through this landscape. 

The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is concerned about a Rupe Hill “slide” on Highway 14, causing maintenance issues and possibly a temporary closure or unsafe road conditions for travelers.  We also want Highway 14 to be a safe highway to travel. That is not the issue.  We believe WYDOT is basing their decision on inadequate data.

 According to the August 2, 2012 GEOLOGY REPORT:

·        Highway 14 was built approximately 80 years ago (1930s)

·        Movement was FIRST noticed in May 2011 (that means no movement has been noticed in the last 80 years)

·        Prior to May 2011 movement, “features at Rupe Hill were subdued…”

·        “The slide was very wet in the spring of 2011, the slope below the road was saturated…”

o   Please note: The last two years brought record moisture levels to Sundance area.

o   According to U.S. Drought Monitor, the region is still in an extreme/severe drought condition.

·        Hazard Maps do NOT indicate an activity level (i.e. active, dormant, ancient)

·        OTHER OPTIONS EXIST (besides realigning the highway on private land)

·        “The most promising option is lowering Rupe Hill and building a berm below the road…”

Please SIGN THIS PETITION, urging WYDOT to FULLY EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS and to WAIT UNTIL THEY HAVE SUFFICENT DATA regarding the water table, wetlands, movement, etc.  Choosing to realign the highway will cause IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE to a beautiful landscape of native flora and fauna.

THANK YOU.  PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND SHARE THIS PLEA WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

Page Lambert’s memoir about the Lambert Ranch, IN SEARCH OF KINSHIP: MODERN PIONEERING ON THE WESTERN LANDSCAPE, was a Rocky Mountain best-seller.  Excerpts from the memoir, published in regional and national magazines, also received a FELLOWSHIP from the WYOMING ARTS COUNCIL FOR LITERARY EXCELLENCE. 

avatar of the starter
Page LambertPetition StarterLambert is a Fellow with the International League of Conservation Writers, adviser to New York Rural Lit R.A.L.L.Y, Writing for Peace, Children and Nature Network, Clear Creek Land Conservancy, Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation, Colorado Authors’ League, and founding member of NE Wyoming Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Women Writing the West. She's been helping writers connect with the natural world for 17 years, facilitating outdoor writing adventures, working in partnership with other professional organizations and venues such as the Grand Canyon Field Institute, True Nature Journeys, and the Aspen Writers' Foundation. In 2006, her River Writing Journeys with Sheri Griffith Expeditions were featured in Oprah's O Magazine as "One of the top six great all-girl getaways of the year." Lambert has received numerous awards for her writing. Books include her Wyoming memoir IN SEARCH OF KINSHIP. You can find her essays and poems in dozens of anthologies.
Media inquiries
This petition had 537 supporters

The Issue

The northern edge of the LAMBERT RANCH, a small, family-owned homestead, snuggles up against the beautiful Bear Lodge Mountains in northeastern Wyoming.  Part of the Black Hill National Forest system, both eastern and western ecosystems come together here  This is also historically significant land to the Native American tribes who held ceremonies at SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN and INYAN KARA MOUNTAIN, and who camped and migrated here en route to ceremonies at MATO TIPI (Devils Tower). 

The southern edge of the ranch is bordered by Highway 14.  The Bear Lodge Mountains are being threatened by the potential development of an open pit Rare Earth mine.  And now, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is considering REALIGNING HIGHWAY 14 THROUGH THE HEART of the southern portion of this small family ranch. 

Moving Highway 14 from its existing alignment along the southern border of the ranch (it currently winds around the “toe” of Rupe Hill), would significantly CHANGE THE WATERSHED and DESTROY AN ECOSYTEM of native mixed-grass prairie, ephemeral wetlands, and Gambel Oak woodlands that support wildlife and provide seasonal forage for mother cows and calves, yearling heifers, and steers. 

NATIVE PLANTS INCLUDE needle-and-thread grasses, crested wheat, bluestem, golden aster, western flax, and Wyoming sagebrush.  BALD EAGLES, owls, Red-tailed and Swainson’s hawks, Sharp-tailed grouse and the occasional Kestrel are often seeing soaring and hunting over the land, or nesting and feeding among the oaks and in the prairie grasses.  Whitetail and mule deer, foxes and coyotes, the occasional pronghorn and mountain lion, can all be found either living in or migrating through this landscape. 

The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is concerned about a Rupe Hill “slide” on Highway 14, causing maintenance issues and possibly a temporary closure or unsafe road conditions for travelers.  We also want Highway 14 to be a safe highway to travel. That is not the issue.  We believe WYDOT is basing their decision on inadequate data.

 According to the August 2, 2012 GEOLOGY REPORT:

·        Highway 14 was built approximately 80 years ago (1930s)

·        Movement was FIRST noticed in May 2011 (that means no movement has been noticed in the last 80 years)

·        Prior to May 2011 movement, “features at Rupe Hill were subdued…”

·        “The slide was very wet in the spring of 2011, the slope below the road was saturated…”

o   Please note: The last two years brought record moisture levels to Sundance area.

o   According to U.S. Drought Monitor, the region is still in an extreme/severe drought condition.

·        Hazard Maps do NOT indicate an activity level (i.e. active, dormant, ancient)

·        OTHER OPTIONS EXIST (besides realigning the highway on private land)

·        “The most promising option is lowering Rupe Hill and building a berm below the road…”

Please SIGN THIS PETITION, urging WYDOT to FULLY EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS and to WAIT UNTIL THEY HAVE SUFFICENT DATA regarding the water table, wetlands, movement, etc.  Choosing to realign the highway will cause IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE to a beautiful landscape of native flora and fauna.

THANK YOU.  PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND SHARE THIS PLEA WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

Page Lambert’s memoir about the Lambert Ranch, IN SEARCH OF KINSHIP: MODERN PIONEERING ON THE WESTERN LANDSCAPE, was a Rocky Mountain best-seller.  Excerpts from the memoir, published in regional and national magazines, also received a FELLOWSHIP from the WYOMING ARTS COUNCIL FOR LITERARY EXCELLENCE. 

avatar of the starter
Page LambertPetition StarterLambert is a Fellow with the International League of Conservation Writers, adviser to New York Rural Lit R.A.L.L.Y, Writing for Peace, Children and Nature Network, Clear Creek Land Conservancy, Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation, Colorado Authors’ League, and founding member of NE Wyoming Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Women Writing the West. She's been helping writers connect with the natural world for 17 years, facilitating outdoor writing adventures, working in partnership with other professional organizations and venues such as the Grand Canyon Field Institute, True Nature Journeys, and the Aspen Writers' Foundation. In 2006, her River Writing Journeys with Sheri Griffith Expeditions were featured in Oprah's O Magazine as "One of the top six great all-girl getaways of the year." Lambert has received numerous awards for her writing. Books include her Wyoming memoir IN SEARCH OF KINSHIP. You can find her essays and poems in dozens of anthologies.
Media inquiries

The Decision Makers

Timothy Stark, P.E.
Timothy Stark, P.E.
Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT)
Responded
“WYDOT appreciates all the comments we have received thus far. Unfortunately, the way the petition is set up we are unable to respond to individual comments. Therefore, if you would like to be a part of the Rupe Hill Environmental Assessment (EA) please send an email with your contact information and concerns to dot-rupe-ea@wyo.gov Currently the Rupe Hill EA is in the scoping phase. We are in the process of collecting feedback on the alternatives, potential resource concerns in the area, and other comments related to the start of the EA process. No decision has been made at this point. WYDOT is in the beginning phase of preparing the EA and will evaluate different alternatives to see if they meet the purpose and need of the project. WYDOT will also weigh the alternatives that meet the purpose and need against social impacts, historical impacts, biological, and physical impacts. WYDOT then will prepare an environmental assessment disclosing impacts and mitigation measures. This will be provided to the public for additional input – all prior to making a decision based on the information collected. At this point in time, WYDOT would like to clarify some of the points in the petition: Petition: “The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is concerned about a Rupe Hill “slide” on Highway 14, causing maintenance issues and possibly a temporary closure or unsafe road conditions for travelers. We also want Highway 14 to be a safe highway to travel. That is not the issue. We believe WYDOT is basing their decision on inadequate data.” Response: WYDOT’s mission is to provide a safe high quality transportation system, and one of WYDOT’s goals is to keep people safe on the state transportation system. We are concerned that movement at the Rupe Hill Landslide will cause a highway closure and unsafe conditions for the traveling public. This concern is based on WYDOT’s experience with landslides on U.S. Highway 14 and Wyoming Highway 24 over the last 20-30 years that have resulted in numerous road closures. Since the highway crosses the center of the Rupe Hill landslide (the slide is above and below the road), any detour built across the slide will be unstable and pose a danger to the traveling public. Therefore, while a possible road closure may be temporary, the temporary road closure could potentially last several months or more, thus affecting the local residents, tourists, and potentially the local economy. The petition states that WYDOT is basing our decision to pursue a north alignment on inadequate data. To date, WYDOT Geology has conducted surface mapping of the Rupe Hill Landslide, drilled 21 test holes to characterize the landslide, installed six slope inclinometers, and eleven ground water monitoring wells. These instruments have been monitored on a regular basis since they were installed, and we have developed a geologic model and conducted a back analysis of this landslide based on our investigation and extensive testing of soil and rock samples collected during the investigation. Then, in June 2012, WYDOT Geology conducted surface mapping, and drilled 16 test holes along the proposed north alignment (Chatfield’s Property) as we have not been granted access on the Lambert property for these actions. The preliminary landslide and north alignment investigations have provided the geologic information required to make an informed decision on the Rupe Hill Landslide. In addition, the EA process is currently collecting additional data to inform any decision made. WYDOT’s decision on what option to pursue will be based on all available information. Petition: The petition listed the following excerpts from the August 2, 2012 Geology Report, Rupe Hill Landslide, M.P. 197.4 Wyoming State Highway 14. Italics indicate the excerpted passage. 1. “Highway 14 was built approximately 80 years ago” (1930’s) 2. “Movement was first noticed in May 2011” (that means no movement has been noticed in the last 80 years) 3. Prior to May 2011 movement “features at Rupe Hill were subdued…” 4. “Hazard maps do not indicate an activity level (i.e. active dormant, ancient” “The slide was very wet in the spring of 2011, the slope below the road was saturated…” Response: The above statements were obtained from the landslide description section of the Geology Report. This is the complete description with the excerpted sections [highlighted]: “The Rupe Hill Landslide is located at M.P. 197.4 on Wyoming State Highway 14, approximately nine miles west of Sundance, and it is a reactivated complex block failure mapped by the Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS) (Figure 1). The WSGS [hazard maps] are based on recognizable geomorphic landslide features and the maps [do not indicate an activity level (i.e. active, dormant, ancient). Prior to the recent failure, the landslide features at Rupe Hill were subdued] and probably not recognized when the road was [constructed approximately 80 years ago.] The landslide is over 1,000 feet wide at the highway with a headscarp 80 to 100 feet above and 500 feet north of the highway (left of centerline). The head scarp has up to 3.0 feet of vertical displacement and extends the full width of the slide. A back scarp, at the west end of the headscarp forms a graben up to 70 feet wide. The lateral margins cross the highway at the east and west limits of the landslide and are manifested as zones of pavement distress 5.0 to 10.0 feet wide (Figure 2 and 3). The slide toe is up to 500 feet south and below the highway and forms a discontinuous 2.0 foot high ridge. [The slide was very wet in the spring of 2011, the slope below the road was saturated], and water was running down the slope.” WYDOT has experience with ancient landslides that become reactivated due to high groundwater or road activities. We also deal with new landslides (landslides that occur in areas that show no prior tendency toward sliding) that occur every year. The purpose of the above narrative is to describe the landslide and provide background information to geologist, engineers, and planners. The year 2011 was a very wet year that resulted in high groundwater conditions, including President Obama signing a Disaster Declaration due to the severe storms Wyoming endured from May 18 to July 8, 2011. The high groundwater in 2011 may have initiated the movement at Rupe Hill, but the high groundwater is not necessary for the landslide to continue to move. Thus far 2012 has been a very dry year yet the inclinometers installed in the landslide showed that the land slide is still moving. Prior to the slide, the soil and bedrock were at their peak strength. However, once a slide plane forms (the slipping point) that peak strength is reduced and approaches a residual (minimum) strength and the landslide will continue to move. The landslide has started to move and will continue to move until the road is further damaged or WYDOT remediates the landslide. Petition: The most promising option, lowering Rupe Hill and building a berm below the road… Response: The above excerpt is from the Recommendation section of the Geology Report, which only dealt with potential remediation of the Rupe Hill Landslide. To place the statement in proper perspective it is [highlighted] in the paragraph from which it was taken: The WYDOT Geology Program has successfully remediated landslides using all of the options outlined above. However, none of the preliminary models achieved the WYDOT Standard FOS of 1.30, and all of the options would require massive amounts of material, money, and would have a huge footprint across the 1,000 feet of affected roadway. [The most promising option, lowering Rupe Hill and building a berm below the road,] would remove the upper third of Rupe Hill (~50 feet) and place the material below the road. Table 3 below summarizes the cost and concerns with each alternative. This alternative requires removal of between 790,000 cubic yards and 1.45 million cubic yards from Rupe Hill and placing it below the road for the berm. This is ten times the size of the berms WYDOT recently completed for slide remediation on Rosies Ridge, located in Togwotee Pass. The estimated cost of building this berm is $5.8 million dollars. The estimated cost does not include traffic control, pavement, or ancillary costs. The cost for this option will skyrocket if WYDOT needs to add an offsite borrow and a haul. It is critical to note that these preliminary designs were done as a feasibility study: they are not final designs. Also, note, that the designs did not meet WYDOT’s minimum design standard for remediating landslides. What this means is that any berm is going to be larger and more expensive than $5.8 million dollars. The use of the phrase “most promising option” only refers to the remediations examined for the Rupe Hill Landslide and did not consider avoidance of the landslide with either a south alignment or north alignment. There are also potential cultural concerns with this option. All of this information will be fully explored and documented in the EA. At this point in time, we are in the scoping phase of this project and are starting to fully evaluate all data that we have collected and information that we have received from other State and Federal agencies. We appreciate any and all comments that you have on these issues. If you would like to be further involved in this process please email WYDOT your contact information and you are welcome to check for updates when they are available at WYDOT’s website at http://www.dot.state.wy.us/wydot/engineering_technical_programs/environmental_services/Nepa Thank you for your comments. Nick Hines WYDOT Environmental Coordinator ”

Petition Updates

Share this petition

Petition created on November 29, 2012