Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance

January 17, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Laura Peterson, Staff Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) (801) 236-3762; (laura@suwa.org)
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Salt Lake City, UT – Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the final Henry Mountains/Dirty Devil Travel Management Plan.  Below is a statement from SUWA Staff Attorney Laura Peterson and additional information.

“We are disappointed that the BLM’s new travel plan heavily favors motorized vehicles at the expense of natural and cultural resources, designating 1,670 miles of dirt trails, including opening more than 100 miles of previously closed routes, to off-road vehicles,” said Laura Peterson, SUWA Staff Attorney, “Spanning from Capitol Reef National Park to Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the remote and stunning landscapes encompassed within this planning area are at the heart of Utah’s redrock country. BLM’s new plan fails to do justice to this incredible place.”

 Additional information: 

 The plan covers roughly 1,450,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands primarily within the Richfield Field Office’s Henry Mountains Field Station. It is made up of several distinct and renowned landscapes, including the Dirty Devil Canyon complex, the Henry Mountains, and the stunning badlands surrounding Factory Butte.  

In September 2024, the BLM released a draft motorized vehicle travel management plan and accompanying environmental assessment, which analyzed the varying impacts of each alternative travel network under consideration. Of those alternatives, only Alternative B would have provided some balance between motorized recreation and non-motorized recreation while also minimizing damage to natural and cultural resources. Alternative B would have allowed motorized vehicles on more than 1,300 miles of routes, ensuring access to motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities, scenic overlooks, and trailheads, while also preserving this stunning backcountry area. 

 The BLM selected a travel plan that designates 1,670 miles of motorized vehicle routes, opening 114 miles of routes that were previously closed to vehicles. This includes new routes in areas that BLM is supposed to manage to protect wilderness values. 

 The Henry Mountains/Dirty Devil Travel Management Plan is one of 11 travel plans the BLM is completing over the next few years as part of a 2017 court-supervised settlement agreement between the agency, conservation organizations, and ORV groups. Covering more than 6 million acres of BLM-managed lands in eastern and southern Utah, these plans will determine where motorized vehicles are allowed on some of Utah’s wildest public lands. To date, the BLM has completed four of the 11 plans, with others underway. Read more about SUWA’s litigation to ensure these travel plans follow federal laws to protect public lands and resources.

 Conservation groups challenged BLM’s 2008 Henry Mountains/Dirty Devil Travel Management Plan and a federal court ruled that the plan failed to minimize damage from motorized vehicles and failed to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The Henry Mountains/Dirty Devil litigation ultimately led to the 2017 court-supervised settlement agreement.

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 The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post BLM Releases Final Henry Mountains/Dirty Devil Travel Plan, Disappointingly Tilted Heavily in Favor of Motorized Vehicle Use – 1.17.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Good News! Supreme Court Denies Utah Land Grab Lawsuit

On Monday, the  U.S. Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit from the State of Utah that would have ordered the federal government to sell off or otherwise “dispose” of more than 18.5 million acres of public land in Utah (read the Salt Lake Tribune’s coverage here). This is welcome news and a great relief, though certainly not the end of the state’s audacious land grab efforts.

The state took its unprecedented lawsuit directly to the Supreme Court in August of 2024, and SUWA responded with a counter-suit alleging that Governor Cox and Attorney General Reyes violated the Utah Constitution’s provision that the “people inhabiting this State do affirm and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within [its] boundaries.” This language was a condition of statehood and is found in both Utah’s Constitution and the Utah Enabling Act, which led to Utah’s entry into the Union.

“We’re grateful the Supreme Court swiftly rejected the State of Utah’s misguided land grab lawsuit. For more than 100 years, the Supreme Court has affirmed the power of the federal government to hold and manage public lands on behalf of all Americans,” said SUWA Legal Director Steve Bloch. “The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will continue our unwavering efforts to ensure every attempted land grab by Utah politicians fails.”

>> Read SUWA’s full press statement

Photo © SUWA

Utahns Rally in Support of Public Lands at State Capitol

Despite near-freezing temperatures and snow flurries, nearly one thousand people joined the Land, Love & Hope Rally at the Utah State Capitol last Saturday to demonstrate unwavering support for public lands and national monuments. The high-spirited crowd also stood in solidarity against the State of Utah’s attempt to seize more than 18.5 million acres of federal public land in Utah (see latest news on this above). As SUWA board member and former Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition Co-Chair Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk declared from the podium, “These lands are not for sale. But let’s remember, they never were . . . Not today, not ever, not for our future generations.”

The SUWA staff extends a heartfelt thank-you to all who attended and helped make the rally a huge success, including the speakers and performers, our nonprofit partners, and our wonderful emcee, Georgie Pongyesva! If you missed the action, you can still watch a replay online.

Saturday’s rally was just the beginning. Challenging times await us, but together we will stand our ground (quite literally) and defend the landscapes, wildlife, and ancestral homelands that heal and sustain us.

Take Action:

>> If you live in in Utah, tell Governor Cox to stop his attacks on public lands

>> If you live outside of Utah, tell your governor to support protected public lands

Photo © SUWA

Plans Finalized for Bears Ears & Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) signed the Record of Decision for the Bears Ears National Monument final Resource Management Plan (RMP). This culminates a planning process that began after President Biden restored Bears Ears in 2021. “The final plan takes important steps towards protecting Bears Ears’ unique natural and cultural landscape, while at the same time providing opportunities for respectful appreciation and enjoyment of this remarkable place,” said SUWA Wildlands Attorney Judi Brawer. “The plan is also the first of its kind, incorporating significant and meaningful input from Tribal Nations through the Bears Ears Commission.” Read our full press release here.

Earlier this month, the BLM also finalized its Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument RMP. SUWA Wildlands Attorney Kya Marienfeld issued a statement at the time saying, “The BLM’s final plan takes meaningful and important steps to protect one of the most treasured public landscapes in America. Once again, the Monument will be managed to protect what makes it like nowhere else—remarkable paleontological discoveries and cultural connections, jaw-dropping scenery, and outstanding intact and diverse natural ecosystems.“ Read our full press release here.

Unfortunately, Utah Governor Spencer Cox and other anti-public-land adversaries continue their attacks on both monuments. Meanwhile, new polling conducted by public opinion research firm New Bridge Strategy found that Utah voters overwhelmingly support keeping Bears Ears (71%) and Grand Staircase-Escalante (74%) as national monuments. SUWA remains deeply committed to continuing our work to protect and defend these monuments for current and future generations.

Photo © Ray Bloxham/SUWA

Conservation Groups Applaud New Glen Canyon OHV Rule

The National Park Service has published a final rule and amended record of decision that better protects the ecological integrity and visitor experience of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA), limiting off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and street-legal all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the park’s most delicate areas. This comes after SUWA and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) successfully settled and dismissed their lawsuits against the National Park Service over off-road vehicle management in Glen Canyon NRA.

“We’re pleased the revised rule governing off-road vehicle use in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area restores much-needed balance to land-based recreation in the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit, designated Lake Powell shoreline access areas, and remote areas throughout the NRA,” said SUWA Staff Attorney Hanna Larsen. “As lake levels fluctuate, these changes will help minimize user conflict and illegal cross-country motorized use, reduce the spread of invasive species, and safeguard some of Glen Canyon’s wildest places.”

Big thanks to our members and supporters who submitted comments in favor of this new rule. Your participation has helped ensure the protection of Glen Canyon for generations to come!

>> Read our full press release

Photo © Ray Bloxham/SUWA

BLM Releases Disappointing Travel Plan for San Rafael Swell

In late December, after collecting public input on the draft, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its final San Rafael Swell Travel Management Plan. Unfortunately, the agency selected Alternative F, which designates nearly 1,500 miles of routes, opening a substantial number of new routes to motorized vehicles. SUWA and our members urged the agency to select Alternative B, the only option that provided some balance between motorized recreation and non-motorized recreation while also minimizing damage to natural and cultural resources.

“We are disappointed with the new plan, which once again prioritizes motorized vehicles at the expense of natural and cultural resources in the San Rafael Swell,” said SUWA staff attorney Laura Peterson. “The Bureau of Land Management had the opportunity to finally strike a balance between motorized recreation, non-motorized recreation, and preservation of this incredible landscape, but chose not to.”

>> Read our full press release

Photo © Ray Bloxham/SUWA

Utah Friends: Remember to RSVP for “Winter Stew” by January 23rd!

Our “Winter Stew” event is just around the corner, and it’s filling up fast! If you’d like to join us, please RSVP by January 23rd to reserve your spot.

Winter Stew is a chance to gather together in celebration as we kick off the 10th season of SUWA’s Stewardship Program. Meet new friends, enjoy some tasty food, and get a sneak peek at what’s in store for the 2025 field season. The event takes place on Thursday, January 30th at Publik Space in Salt Lake City.

For those who don’t live locally or can’t attend, you can still help us celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary by joining a stewardship project in 2025. The project calendar goes live to the general public on February 1st!

>> Learn more about Winter Stew and RSVP 

Start 2025 as a SUWA Monthly Donor

Resolve to deepen your commitment to public land protection this year by joining SUWA’s Monthly Giving Program. Monthly giving is one of the best ways to support the redrock as it provides the steady funding we need to address urgent conservation challenges, advocate for legislative protections, and defend Utah’s wild places from ongoing threats. 

Setting up a monthly donation is quick and easy—simply visit our monthly giving page, enter your credit card information, and choose the amount to be deducted (you can modify or cancel at any time).

>> Click here to become a monthly donor today! 

The post January 2025 Redrock Report appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 16, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Washington, DC – Today, Rep Celeste Maloy (R-UT) introduced legislation (the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act) in the House of Representatives that, if passed, would effectively repeal the 1906 Antiquities Act by requiring Congress to approve the establishment or extension of a National Monument. For more than 115 years the Act has been used by Presidents of both parties to establish national monuments and protect objects of particular cultural, paleontological, and ecological significance.

“National Monuments enjoy broad bipartisan support and are overwhelmingly popular with Utahns and Americans. Unfortunately, just days into a new Congress, Utah politicians have renewed their long-running attacks on one of the most important and successful conservation tools: the Antiquities Act,” said Travis Hammill, DC Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will rally our supporters from across the nation and will work to defeat this short-sighted bill.” 

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post SUWA Statement on Attempts to Dismantle the Antiquities Act – 1.16.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 16, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Washington, DC – Today, the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to consider the nomination of former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to serve as Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior. Below is a quote from SUWA Legislative Advocate Lauren Hainsworth and additional information. 

“Management of federal public lands in Utah requires a thoughtful, balanced approach, but during today’s hearing Governor Burgum made it clear that if confirmed, the scales will be wildly tipped in favor of extractive industry and fossil fuels,” said Lauren Hainsworth, Legislative Advocate for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “Utah’s red rock country and wildest places are national treasures and should be conserved, not exploited. We encourage the Senate to reject Governor Burgum’s nomination.”

Additional information:

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet-level Department that manages America’s vast natural and cultural resources. Employing over 70,000 people, DOI has 11 Bureaus, including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In Utah, the BLM manages 22.8 million acres of public lands, ranging from “spectacular red-rock canyons and roaring rivers to high mountain peaks and expansive salt flats” including Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (designated in 1996 and the first monument managed by the BLM) and Bears Ears National Monument (designated in 2017 and jointly managed with the US Forest Service). 

The BLM also manages several Congressionally-designated Wilderness areas in Utah (including remarkable places such as Muddy Creek (Emery County), Canaan Mountain (Washington County), and the Cedar Mountains (Tooele County)). BLM-Utah also manages more than 80 Wilderness Study Areas, and other significant public landscapes including Nine Mile Canyon, Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, and the Desolation Canyon and Labyrinth Canyon stretches of the Green River. SUWA’s signature bill, America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, would designate more than 8 million acres of BLM land in Utah as wilderness. 

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post SUWA Statement on Gov. Doug Burgum’s Nomination for DOI Secretary – 1.16.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 15, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Hanna Larsen, Staff Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (801) 428-3992 (hanna@suwa.org)
Caitlyn Burford, Communications Manager, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA); (541) 371-6452 (cburford@npca.org)

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Park Service has published a final rule and amended record of decision that better protects the ecological integrity and visitor experience of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA), limiting off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and street-legal all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the park’s most delicate areas. This comes after the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) successfully settled and dismissed their lawsuits against the National Park Service (NPS) over off-road vehicle management in Glen Canyon NRA. Below are statements from NPCA, SUWA, and additional information. 

“As someone who has experienced the stillness of Glen Canyon’s sandstone cliffs and the rare backcountry solitude there, I know firsthand the sanctuary it offers for both visitors and wildlife. Now, with a revised rule from the National Park Service, those natural soundscapes will be better protected for generations to come,” said Erika Pollard, Southwest campaign director for the National Parks Conservation Association. “This rule doesn’t just help protect the experience of breathtaking landscapes and dark skies that define Glen Canyon; it also equips the Park Service to tackle the challenges of climate change on fragile shorelines as Lake Powell fluctuates. By preserving the park’s pristine wilderness qualities and limiting off-road vehicles, this rule is an important step toward maintaining an unparalleled visitor experience, not only in Glen Canyon but beyond to Canyonlands National Park and surrounding landscapes.” 

“We’re pleased the revised rule governing off-road vehicle use in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) restores much-needed balance to land-based recreation in the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit, designated Lake Powell shoreline access areas, and remote areas throughout the NRA,” said Hanna Larsen, Staff Attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “As lake levels fluctuate, these changes will help minimize user conflict and illegal cross-country motorized use, reduce the spread of invasive species, and safeguard some of Glen Canyon’s wildest places.”

Additional information

Spanning southern Utah and northern Arizona, Glen Canyon NRA is cherished for its dramatic redrock landscapes, deep canyons and tall mesas, and the quiet solitude it offers as one of the nation’s most remote recreation areas. In 2021, an NPS rule expanded motorized vehicle use, ignoring the significant impacts widespread use would have on the NRA’s vegetation, wildlife, and stunningly quiet landscape. Of particular concern was the Park Service’s new authorization of OHV and street-legal ATV use in the remote and ecologically sensitive Orange Cliffs area that borders Canyonlands National Park. After years of litigation, in April 2024, NPCA, SUWA, and NPS successfully reached a settlement agreement. The settlement agreement required NPS to propose a draft rule, which has now been finalized. 

The final rule includes additional provisions to balance motorized vehicle use with other values, such as restricting use on certain park roads and expanding the quiet hours in an area where OHV use is permitted. It also reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship of natural landscapes and the park visitor experience at Glen Canyon NRA and underscores the important role of the Park Service in protecting America’s national parks. Water-based recreation on Lake Powell is not affected by this rule.

Glen Canyon NRA is also known for its nearly 1,000 miles of meandering shoreline with steep sandstone cliffs and narrow inlets. Recognizing the growing challenges posed by climate change, the rule empowers the Park Service to take proactive measures to protect Glen Canyon’s shoreline areas. With fluctuating water levels posing increasing management challenges, the Park Service will have the authority to restrict OHV and street-legal ATV access to shoreline areas as needed, protecting vulnerable natural resources. 

The greater Glen Canyon landscape is sacred to a number of Tribal Nations and encompasses several world-renowned protected areas, including Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments, and Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks. 

 Background Information

• Conservation Groups Secure Settlement to Protect Glen Canyon, Shaping Motorized Vehicle Use Management – 4.11.24
• Blog Post from SUWA: The Past, Present, and Future of Motorized Vehicle Use in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org. 

About the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post Conservation Groups Applaud New Rule to Protect Glen Canyon’s Most Delicate Areas – 1.15.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 14, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Judi Brawer, Wildlands Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (208) 871-0596 (judi@suwa.org)
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Salt Lake City, UT – Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) signed the Record of Decision for the final Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the restored Bear Ears National Monument. Below is a statement from SUWA Wildlands Attorney Judi Brawer and additional information. 

“The final plan takes important steps towards protecting Bears Ears’ unique natural and cultural landscape, while at the same time providing opportunities for respectful appreciation and enjoyment of this remarkable place. The plan is also the first of its kind, incorporating significant and meaningful input from Tribal Nations through the Bears Ears Commission,” said Judi Brawer, SUWA Wildlands Attorney. “Unfortunately, Utah Governor Spencer Cox and other anti-public land adversaries continue their attacks on Bears Ears, preferring extraction and destruction over management for the benefit of all Americans. SUWA remains deeply committed to continuing our work to protect and defend the Monument for current and future generations.”

 About the Monument

Bears Ears National Monument is a region of extraordinary natural diversity and cultural significance. On December 28, 2016, President Obama used his authority under the Antiquities Act to establish Bears Ears National Monument, granting a new layer of protection to some of the most spectacular places in southern Utah. Equally important, the proclamation elevated the voices of Tribal Nations that have ancestral ties to the region. Nearly 100,000 archaeological and cultural sites were covered by the proclamation, including House on Fire and Moon House.

The Bears Ears proposal was led by the five Tribal Nations that together comprise the “Bears Ears Commission:” the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the Pueblo of Zuni, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Ute Indian Tribe. As part of the collaborative planning process, the Bears Ears Commission developed A Collaborative Land Management Plan for the Bears Ears National Monument, which “synthesizes Tribal perspectives for the management of the Bears Ears living landscape.”

On December 4, 2017, President Trump ignored millions of public comments and in a brazenly illegal act repealed Bears Ears National Monument, replacing it with two much smaller, non-contiguous units totaling less than 230,000 acres (an 83% reduction). His unprecedented action left rare archaeological sites, unique flora and fauna, and stunning wildlands without protection from looting, uranium mining, oil and gas drilling, and off-road vehicle damage. Thankfully, on October 8, 2021, President Biden signed a proclamation restoring Bears Ears National Monument to its full, original boundaries—plus an additional 12,000 acres added to the Trump-era Indian Creek unit.

In 2023, BLM began the process of developing a management plan to govern the Bears Ears National Monument; this is a crucial opportunity to ensure that the monument is managed for its unique and extraordinary values. During both the scoping phase and after a draft plan was released, SUWA asked its members and supporters to submit comments to BLM, calling for a management plan worthy of this remarkable place.

In August 2023, a Federal District Court Judge in Utah dismissed lawsuits brought by the State of Utah, Blue Ribbon Coalition, and others challenging President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to restore the boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. The state and other plaintiffs quickly appealed that decision to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held oral argument on September 26, 2024, and will issue a decision in the coming months. SUWA and nine other conservation organizations have intervened on behalf of the United States to defend President Biden’s restoration of the Monuments, as have four Tribal nations.

Background Information

• BLM E-planning page on the Bears Ears National Monument RMP
• SUWA Statement on Release of Draft Bears Ears National Monument Management Plan — March 8, 2024
• SUWA Statement on the Bears Ears National Monument Final Resource Management Plan (RMP) – 10.3.24
• SUWA Advocacy Actions – Scoping Phase (October 2022); Draft Plan (May 2024)
• SUWA webpage on Bears Ears National Monument 

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post Plan for Bear Ears National Monument Finalized in the Face of Threats to Public Lands in Utah  – 1.14.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 13, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Steve Bloch, Legal Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (801) 859-1552 (steve@suwa.org)
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Salt Lake City, UT – Today, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) rejected a lawsuit from the State of Utah which sought to order the federal government to begin selling off or otherwise “disposing” of more than 18.5 million acres of public lands in Utah. Below is a quote from SUWA Legal Director Steve Bloch and additional information. 

“We’re grateful the Supreme Court swiftly rejected the State of Utah’s misguided land grab lawsuit. For more than 100 years, the Supreme Court has affirmed the power of the federal government to hold and manage public lands on behalf of all Americans,” said Steve Bloch, Legal Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “If successful, Utah’s lawsuit would result in the sale of millions of acres of public lands in redrock country to the highest bidder, an end to America’s system of federal public lands, and the dismantling of the American West as we know it. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will continue our unwavering efforts to ensure every attempted land grab by Utah politicians fails.”

Additional information:

In August 2024, the State filed an unprecedented lawsuit at the United States Supreme Court seeking an order requiring that the federal government begin selling off or otherwise “disposing” of more than 18.5 million acres of public lands in Utah. If successful, this effort would implicate more than 200 million acres of public lands across the West.

In December 2024, SUWA filed litigation (SUWA v. Cox) in Utah’s Third District Court (state court) alleging that Governor Cox and Attorney General Reyes violated the Utah Constitution’s provision that the “people inhabiting this State do affirm and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within [its] boundaries.” This language was a condition of statehood and is found in both Utah’s Constitution and the Utah Enabling Act, which led to Utah’s entry into the Union.

In support of its dangerous lawsuit and in an effort to confuse the public, the State is spending millions of dollars of taxpayer money on a propaganda campaign – dubbed “Let Utah Manage Utah Lands” – that fundamentally misstates both the facts and goals of its unprecedented lawsuit:

• As the State concedes in its legal filings, the public lands that are the target of its lawsuit were never owned by Utah. Instead, Native American Tribes have lived in what is present-day Utah from time immemorial and the federal government acquired all the lands comprising Utah from Mexico in 1848. The Ute Indian Tribe filed a brief with the US Supreme Court that urges the Court to dismiss Utah’s lawsuit, calls out Utah’s “vision of an America without public lands” and highlights the threat Utah’s filing poses to the Tribe’s Uncompahgre Reservation.
• As a condition of entry to the Union, in 1896 the citizens of Utah “forever disclaim[ed] all right and title” to the unappropriated public lands within its borders. The State’s lawsuit seeks to re-write the agreement that allowed it to become a part of the United States.
• If successful, the State’s lawsuit will not result in public lands automatically being given to Utah but instead would start a “disposal” process which could result in the sale of millions of acres of public lands to the highest bidder.
• A 2016 report by the Public Lands Subcommittee of the Conference of Western Attorneys General evaluated the same legal claims raised by Utah in its 2024 land grab filing and concluded that they are contrary to more than a hundred years of legal precedent. Hunters, anglers, and wildlife advocates have all singled out Utah’s lawsuit as a direct threat to the future of America’s public lands.

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post SCOTUS Denies Utah Land Grab Lawsuit – 1.13.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 7, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Kya Marienfeld, Wildlands Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (435) 259-5440; kya@suwa.org
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Salt Lake City, UT – Yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) signed the Record of Decision for the final Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the restored Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Below is a statement from SUWA Wildlands Attorney Kya Marienfeld and additional information. 

“The BLM’s final plan takes meaningful and important steps to protect one of the most treasured public landscapes in America. Once again, the Monument will be managed to protect what makes it like nowhere else – remarkable paleontological discoveries and cultural connections, jaw-dropping scenery, and outstanding intact and diverse natural ecosystems,“ said Kya Marienfeld, SUWA Wildlands Attorney. “Sadly, Utah Governor Spencer Cox and other public land opponents continue their attacks on Grand Staircase-Escalante, which is managed for the benefit of all Americans. SUWA will unflinchingly continue to protect and defend the Monument for current and future generations.”

About the Monument

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was designated as a national monument in 1996 to protect the incredible scientific, ecological, and paleontological resources within its 1.9 million acres. This crown jewel of our nation’s public lands was the first monument managed by the BLM, and was the first unit in the agency’s now robust and expansive “National Conservation Lands” program.

Since its establishment, heightened protections for the Monument’s geology, paleontology, wildlife, plant communities, and ancestral sites have succeeded in preserving these unique values for generations to come, and local communities on the Monument’s doorstep have benefited as well. More than 25 years later, the numerous benefits of protecting Grand Staircase-Escalante are clear: the monument preserves a remarkable ecosystem at the landscape-level and sets the stage for future discovery about human, paleontological, and geologic history on the Colorado Plateau.

On December 4, 2017, President Trump ignored millions of public comments and eliminated large swaths of the Monument, slashing it by 47 percent – roughly 900,000 acres. Thankfully, on October 8, 2021, President Biden signed a proclamation restoring Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to its full, original boundaries. In 2023, BLM began the process of developing a new management plan for the full Monument. During both the scoping phase of the current planning effort and after a draft plan was released, SUWA members and supporters of public lands conservation across the country submitted comments to the BLM calling for a holistic, conservation-based management plan worthy of this remarkable place.

In August 2023, a Federal District Court Judge in Utah dismissed lawsuits brought by the State of Utah, Blue Ribbon Coalition, and others challenging President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to restore the boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. The state and other plaintiffs quickly appealed that decision to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held oral argument on September 26, 2024, and will issue a decision in the coming months. SUWA and nine other conservation organizations have intervened on behalf of the United States to defend President Biden’s restoration of the Monuments, as have four Tribal nations.

Background Information

• BLM E-planning page on the Grand Staircase-Escalante RMP
• SUWA Statement on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) – August 10, 2023
• SUWA Advocacy Actions – Scoping Phase (September 2022); Draft Plan (October 2023)
• SUWA Statement on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Final RMP – 8.29.24
• SUWA webpage on Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post Plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Finalized in the Face of Threats to Public Lands in Utah  – 1.7.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 3, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

What: Public lands and environmental advocates are excited to announce a Public Lands Rally – “Standing Together: Land Love & Hope.” Community members, activists, and environmental organizations will demonstrate unwavering local support for protected public lands and wild places across Utah, especially Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.

When: Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 12 p.m. A short program with speakers will begin at 12:15.

Where: South Steps of the Utah State Capitol (350 State Street Salt Lake City, UT 84103)

Who: Members of the public are encouraged to RSVP on Facebook or here. Members of the media are asked to RVSP to Grant Stevens, Communications Director at SUWA; (319) 427-0260 or grant@suwa.org. If you can’t join us in person, you can watch via a live video on the SUWA Facebook page (a Facebook account is not required, and you can watch it at any time). The video will begin a few minutes before noon day-of. Spokespeople will be available to speak with the media. Please reach out to Grant for additional information. 

Other details:  Speakers at the rally include Louise Fernandez, Youth Activist; Luz Escamilla, Utah Senate Minority Leader; Autumn Gillard, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, former co-chair of the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition; and Terry Tempest Williams, Author and Advocate. The rally will be emceed by Georgie Pongyesva, Tribal Liaison/Consultant.  

Attendees are encouraged to walk, bike, take public transit, or carpool if possible. Parking is limited and can be found primarily on surrounding streets and the north and east sides of the Capitol. The rally will be accessible to all abilities and up-close parking is also available.

Current threats to public lands in Utah include:

• Potential reductions to Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. Following illegal reductions in 2017, both Monuments were restored in 2021, but the State of Utah has filed litigation challenging these restorations.
• Governor Cox’s attempted Land Grab Lawsuit. In an unprecedented move, the state has filed a lawsuit with the US Supreme Court, asking the Court to take up a case that would likely result in the sale of 18.5 million acres of public lands in Utah to the highest bidder. The State is also spending millions of dollars of taxpayer money on a propaganda campaign
• Ongoing attacks on clean air, clear water, and common-sense conservation. Whether it’s celebrating not having to comply with the Good Neighbor Rule to improve air quality, opposing conservation efforts through the new Public Lands Rule, or failing to adequately address regional haze in national parks, Utah’s elected officials are working to make Utah a less healthy place for its growing population.

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post Media Advisory – Public Lands Rally on Saturday, January 11 at Noon appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

January 2, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Laura Peterson, Staff Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) (801) 236-3762; (laura@suwa.org)
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org

Salt Lake City, UT – On December 31st, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the final San Rafael Swell Travel Management Plan. Below is a statement from SUWA Staff Attorney Laura Peterson and additional information. 

“We are disappointed with the new plan, which once again prioritizes motorized vehicles at the expense of natural and cultural resources in the San Rafael Swell. The Bureau of Land Management had the opportunity to finally strike a balance between motorized recreation, non-motorized recreation, and preservation of this incredible landscape, but chose not to,” said Laura Peterson, SUWA Staff Attorney. “The Swell is a beloved southern Utah landscape – one with endless opportunities for hiking, camping, and spending time with friends and family. It should be known for its spectacular views, cultural sites, and opportunities for solitude, not off-road vehicle damage.”

Additional Information: 

The San Rafael Swell Travel Management Area (TMA) encompasses roughly 1,150,000 acres of BLM-managed lands within the Price and Richfield field offices. A much-loved backcountry area, the Swell is home to irreplaceable cultural and historic resources, important wildlife habitat, and outstanding recreation opportunities. The Swell’s sinuous slot canyons, soaring red rock cliffs, and prominent buttes provide countless opportunities for hikers, canyoneers, campers, river runners, climbers, bikers, photographers, and other visitors. This TMA also encompasses recently-designated wilderness areas and the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. 

In June, the BLM released a draft motorized vehicle travel management plan and accompanying environmental assessment, which analyzed the varying impacts of each alternative travel network under consideration. Of those alternatives, only Alternative B would have provided some balance between motorized recreation and non-motorized recreation while also minimizing damage to natural and cultural resources. Alternative B would have allowed motorized vehicles on nearly 1,200 miles of routes in the Swell, ensuring access to motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities, scenic overlooks, and trailheads, while also preserving this stunning backcountry area. 

In the newly-released plan, the BLM selected Alternative E which designates nearly 1,500 miles of routes, opening a substantial number of new routes to motorized vehicles. 

The San Rafael Swell Travel Management Plan is one of 11 travel plans the BLM is completing as part of a court-supervised settlement agreement between the agency, conservation, and ORV groups. Covering more than 6 million acres of BLM-managed lands in eastern and southern Utah, these plans will determine where motorized vehicles will be allowed on some of Utah’s wildest public lands. Including this plan, the BLM has completed four of the 11 plans. Read more about SUWA’s litigation to ensure these travel plans follow federal laws to protect public lands and resources.

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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

The post SUWA Statement on the Release of the Final San Rafael Swell Travel Management Plan – 1.2.25 appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.