WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court The state of Utah on Monday pushed back against efforts by the state of Utah to wrest control of large areas of public land from the federal government, marking a small victory for land conservation advocates who fear as similar efforts intensify in Republican-controlled Washington.
The high court refused to let the state be controlled by the GOP file a complaint seeking to bring land and its resources under state control. The ruling was issued in a brief order in which the court did not explain its reasoning, as is usual. It’s the latest hurdle for states in an ongoing feud with the U.S. government over who should control vast swathes of the West and the enormous oil, gas, forestry and other resources they contain.
Top Utah state leaders said they have not ruled out taking their suit to a lower court.
In this western state known for its rugged mountains popular with skiers and red rock vistas that attract crowds of tourists, federal agencies control nearly 70% of the territory. Utah argues that local control would be more responsive and allow the state access to tax revenue and development projects.
The suit sought control of about half of federal land, which still represents an area almost as large as South Carolina. The plots are used for purposes such as energy production, grazing, mining and recreation. Utah’s world-famous national parks and national monuments would have remained in federal hands.
Monday’s ruling from the high court comes as the newly Republican-controlled Congress passed a set of rules that included provisions making it easier for lawmakers to transfer or sell public lands managed by federal agencies. The rules deem public land to have no monetary value, meaning lawmakers will no longer need to account for lost revenue if they decide to hand over parcels to states or extractive industries.
Although environmental advocates applauded the court’s dismissal of what they called a land-grabbing lawsuit, many fear the effort will continue.
Public lands under state control could be vulnerable to privatization, degradation and oil drilling, said Steve Bloch, legal director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
“If successful, the Utah lawsuit would result in the sale of millions of acres of public lands in red rock country to the highest bidder, the end of the U.S. system of federal public lands, and the dismantling of the American West as we know it,” says Bloch.
Utah Republican Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis criticized the court’s decision and promised legislative action. Curtis, who campaigned as a climate-minded Republican, said Utahns should be entrusted with stewardship of the land they have lived on for generations.
“Building roads, moving livestock and clearing campgrounds all require navigating a giant bureaucracy that works against the average Utahn,” Curtis said.
In a joint statement with Republican legislative leaders and the Utah Attorney General, Governor Spencer Cox said he was disappointed with the court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.
“Utah remains able and willing to challenge any BLM land management decisions that harm it,” state leaders said. “We are also heartened to know that the new administration shares our commitments to the principle of ‘multiple use’ of these federal lands and is committed to working with us to improve land management.
While lawsuits typically begin in federal district courts and eventually work their way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, litigation involving states can begin in the nation’s highest court if the justices agree to hear them.
Utah leaders noted that the high court did not comment on the merits of their arguments or prevent them from filing suit in federal district court. Conservation groups say they will remain ready to challenge any future lawsuits.
“This lawsuit is an attack on the country’s long and successful history of saving precious and vulnerable landscapes in trust for all Americans,” said Chris Hill, who heads the Conservation Lands Foundation. “And while the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case constitutes a reprieve, we expect this small group of anti-public land politicians to continue wasting taxpayer dollars and buying their bad debts. ideas. »
The federal Bureau of Land Management declined to comment.
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Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.