Supreme Court Declines to Hear Utah’s Case Against the BLM

The Supreme Court struck down an effort by Utah to assert state control over federal public lands. According to an article by Anastasia Hufham in the Salt Lake Tribune, the Court declined to hear Utah’s challenge to the federal government’s jurisdiction over 18.5 million acres of “unappropriated” public lands. The state charged that the Bureau of Land Management’s control over these lands is unconstitutional.

State leaders expressed disappointment at the Court’s decision, saying BLM policies harm Utah residents “by restricting access to public lands, hindering active management, and reducing economic and recreation opportunities.”

The status of public land management is under question as the incoming Trump administration has signaled a desire to reopen public lands to extractive uses — or what Utah state leaders call ‘multiple use’ — and shift more decisionmaking power to states. Other states have challenged the BLM’s Public Lands Rule, which recently strengthened conservation measures.