CODY (AP) - Park County commissioners are reevaluating their chances of getting the McCullough Peaks Wilderness Study Area revoked.

"Congress has final authority when it comes to wilderness designations," Commissioner Marie Fontaine said Tuesday. "And in analyzing the makeup of Congress, I think it's a losing battle to try to remove the wilderness study area."

Fontaine said she met with U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials Nov. 17 to discuss land use issues and the wilderness area in the vast McCullough Peaks area south of Powell.

The McCullough Peaks Wilderness Study Area covers about 8,000 acres. If ever designated by Congress as an official wilderness area, the area would be subject to tighter regulation.

"If this goes through, there will be no motorized vehicle use in that area," Fontaine said.

Commission Chairman Tim Morrison expressed frustration with the situation. "It sounds like we're almost being held hostage to the process," he said.

It was not the first time commissioners voiced displeasure over how the area is managed. Officials from the BLM's Cody Field Office in August sought the commission's thoughts managing travel, including which routes near the wilderness study area should be designated for off-road vehicles.

Commissioners expressed concern about a BLM proposal to close roads.

"I have a problem with them shutting down roads," Commissioner Tim French said. "There's roads out there that people have used for a long, long time for recreation."

An environmental assessment for the area is expected in January, followed by a final report on road closure recommendations in designated areas, according to Fontaine.

"If this goes through, signage on open roads up there and closure of other ones could come soon," she said.