Utah sues federal government over land control

The state of Utah sued the federal government on Tuesday for control of just over one third of its public land, which is operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). 

The federal government currently controls roughly 70% of Utah's total land area, due to the “Utah Enabling Act” that made Utah an official state. The federal government also owns approximately 47% of all public land in the west, per The Hill.

Utah's Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said the state is seeking control of 18.5 million acres of public land. The lawsuit, which went directly to the Supreme Court, will not impact lands already designated as national parks, monuments, wilderness areas, national forests, tribal land, or military properties.

“Utah deserves priority when it comes to managing its land,” Cox said in 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 lawsuit is intended to clarify whether the federal government can retain unappropriated lands in a state indefinitely, even if the state objects to the use of the land. The lawsuit was filed after the BLM closed 317 miles of popular roads and trails in one of the state's counties earlier this year, despite Utah's objections.

"[The closure] has significantly limited public access to these areas, impacting recreational activities and local businesses that rely on tourism," the state said on the "Stand for Utah" website. "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."

The new land would be managed by Utah's Department of Land Management, which was established in 2017. 

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.