Utah has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, demanding that it returns just over one-third of the state’s public land — as the federal government currently owns more than two-thirds of Utah.
On Tuesday, the state of Utah filed a lawsuit against the federal government that went directly to the Supreme Court. According to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R), his state is demanding control of 18.5 million acres of public land.
“The U.S. Constitution never intended a federal agency to hold onto so much land in any state – that’s why the state of Utah is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on this constitutional question we, and many western states, have had for years,” Cox wrote in a post on X.
The Federal Government controls 70% of the land in Utah. The U.S. Constitution never intended a federal agency to hold onto so much land in any state – that’s why the state of Utah is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on this constitutional question we, and many western… pic.twitter.com/32k8XpT2od
— Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) August 20, 2024
The federal government is currently in control of around 70% of the total land area of Utah thanks to the “Utah Enabling Act,” which officially made Utah a state. According to The Hill, the federal government owns a staggering 47% of all public land in the western United States.
Utah has demanded that the Bureau of Land Management return one-third of the public land — though the demand will not impact land already designated for national parks, national forests, monuments, military properties, wilderness areas, or tribal land.
The state’s Republican governor called out the federal government for its terrible mismanagement of the public land, pointing out that Utah deserves to take control of its own land.
“Utah deserves priority when it comes to managing its land,” Cox explained during a press conference. “It’s been a tragedy to see what this administration and past administrations have done to our land, closing down roads that have been open for generations. Places where people went to recreate, to spend time with their families, are no longer accessible.”
The point of the lawsuit is to force the Supreme Court to rule on the issue of whether the federal government is allowed to maintain control of a state’s unappropriated land indefinitely, despite objections from the state. The state filed the lawsuit after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) closed 317 miles of well-traveled roads and trails in just one county earlier this year, ignoring objections from the state government.
According to the “Stand for Utah” website, the closure “has significantly limited public access to these areas, impacting recreational activities and local businesses that rely on tourism. The BLM is proposing closures on thousands of additional miles of roads on federal land in Utah, which could further restrict public access and use.”
Utahns stand for our land because it’s our heritage and home. We care deeply for it and are committed to ensuring its success. https://t.co/L8ycm1A2yQ pic.twitter.com/1c2WkrITxS
— Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) August 20, 2024
If the Supreme Court rules in Utah’s favor, the state’s Department of Land Management — which was created in 2017 — would take control of the new land.
