Utah Sues Over Public Lands Access

State leaders say they want to open 18.5 million acres of unappropriated federal lands to recreation, conservation, and extractive uses.

1 minute read

August 22, 2024, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Asphalt road with Bears Ears National Monument rock formations in background.

Utah also sued the federal government over the restoration of major portions of Bears Ears National Monument during the Biden administration. | Nathaniel Gonzales / Adobe Stock

The state of Utah filed a federal lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), signaling a continued effort on the part of Western states to push back on federal attempts to tighten conservation measures on public lands.  

According to an article in Axios by Kim Bojórquez, the lawsuit applies to the roughly 18.5 million acres of unappropriated public land, not the 19 million acres designated as national parks, monuments, forests, tribal lands, wilderness areas or military properties.

State leaders want to make the land available for recreation and energy production, among other uses. In the past, “Utah sued the Biden administration after it restored the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in 2022, reversing a drastic reduction that occurred under former President Trump.”

Tuesday, August 20, 2024 in Axios

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