Utah files lawsuit over federal government’s control of unappropriated public lands

SALT LAKE CITY — The State of Utah filed a lawsuit on Tuesday questioning the federal government’s right to control unappropriated public lands in the state indefinitely.

 

The lawsuit focuses on 18.5 million acres of unappropriated public lands in Utah. The land is currently under the Bureau of Land Management’s control. 

The 18.5 million acres do not include Utah’s national parks, national monuments, national forests or any other appropriated land. The lawsuit will not affect appropriated lands.

The state’s lawsuit said the federal government controls almost 70% of Utah’s land. 

Related:

• Utah files lawsuit over BLM Public Lands Rule
• Utah lawmakers, federal delegation sound the alarm on proposed BLM public lands rule change

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