Wyo. Stat. § 41-3-116 (2026)

(a)   As used in this section:

          (i) "Allotment" means a designated area of federal
land available for livestock grazing;

          (ii) "Animal unit month" or "AUM" means the amount of
forage needed to sustain one (1) cow and her calf, one (1) horse
or five (5) sheep or goats for one (1) month;

          (iii) "Federal agency" means the United States, the
President of the United States and any department, corporation,
agency or instrumentality heretofore or hereafter created,
designated or established by the United States;

          (iv) "Grazing permit" means a permit, lease or other
document authorizing livestock to graze on an allotment;

          (v) "Livestock" means as defined by W.S. 11-22-
101(a)(ii) but does not include wild horses claimed by the
federal government under the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horses
and Burros Act, P.L. 92-195.

     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title
regarding permits to appropriate water, any permit issued for
the purposes of watering livestock on an allotment shall:

          (i) Only be issued in the name of a federal agency
jointly with a person or grazing association who has the right
to use a grazing permit;
          (ii) Be appurtenant to the allotment or land on which
the livestock is watered;

          (iii) Not be changed under W.S. 41-3-104 or amended
under W.S. 41-4-514 without seeking the consent of the holder or
holders of a valid grazing permit to graze livestock on the
allotment.

     (c) Any permit issued jointly in the name of a federal
agency and a grazing permit holder under this section may be
transferred to a different person or grazing association that
receives an allotment or grazing permit on that federal land by
filing for a permit assignment accompanied by documentary
evidence to the state engineer's office.

     (d) Notwithstanding W.S. 41-3-401, no appropriation for
the purpose of livestock watering on an allotment is subject to
abandonment or partial abandonment if:

          (i) The nonuse is caused by, in whole or in part, a
federal agency's reduction of the AUMs on the allotment; or

          (ii) The nonuse is voluntary because a grazing permit
holder chooses not to graze livestock on that allotment,
provided that the nonuse shall not exceed five (5) successive
years.

     (e) Nothing in this section shall affect any livestock
water right or permit held by a federal agency on or before July
1, 2022.