Public News Service

Currently, 90% of public land managed by BLM is open to commodity-driven extraction, like mining and oil and gas development, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

National parks in UT benefit from BLM rules

Conservation experts are applauding the Bureau of Land Management for releasing two new rules that recognize conservation as an essential part of publ…

The Public Lands Rule helps ensure BLM management decisions will continue to be guided by science and data. (Adobe Stock)

Utah opposes BLM's new Public Lands Rule

The Bureau of Land Management recently released its final Public Lands Rule, which is set to put conservation on equal footing with other multiple …

Utah's Orphan Well Plugging Program has spent about $2.5 million to plug orphan wells since its inception in 1992. (Adobe Stock)

Greater accountability sought for abandoned well cleanup in West

According to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, there are at least 49 orphan wells in the state -- wells that are abandoned and not plugged -- …

In 2019, Utah saw $48 million of gas wasted, enough to meet the annual needs of more than a fifth of the residential gas customers in the state, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed gas pipeline rule could help keep UT communities safe

One Utah public lands advocate is standing behind the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's proposed rule which aims to improve ove…

Last year there were 4,900 reported collisions with deer, 166 with elk and 20 with moose. The actual collision number is likely twice as high, though, as many incidents go unreported, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. (Adobe Stock)

Utah allocates funds to build more wildlife crossings

Budget legislation was signed into law in Utah this week that includes $20 million for building wildlife crossing infrastructure. Utah joins other …

According to the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, wildfires scorched more than 25,000 in 2022, but only 1,104 of those acres burned as a result of natural causes. (Adobe Stock)

State Leaders Break Ground on New UT Fire Operations Center

Utah state leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new firefighting center to be built along the Wasatch Front. Jamie Barnes, director of …

According to GreenLatinos, Hispanics and Latinos are twice as likely to depend on public transit for transportation, but current public transit lines don't ensure access to outdoor recreational spaces. (Andy Dean/Adobe Stock)

Group Pushes to 'Take Back Cinco de Mayo'

A national group says it wants to reclaim the significance of Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the …

According to the Bureau of Land Management, Grand Staircase-Escalante spans across 1.87 million acres of America's public lands in Southern Utah. (Adobe Stock)

Protection of Utah National Monuments Under Attack

Conservation groups are pushing to keep federal protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. Boundaries of …

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Land Management, the majority of wild horses in the U.S. are found in Nevada, followed by California and Wyoming. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Group Pushes to Protect Wild Horses from Intentional Shootings

At least 16 wild horses have been shot dead in Utah's rural San Juan County since the beginning of the year, and one group working to protect them …

Fans of solitude say the route density in Labyrinth Canyon can make it difficult to escape the noise of motorized vehicles. (Bureau of Land Management)

Groups Urge BLM to Keep Off-Road Vehicles Out of Labyrinth Canyon

Conservation groups say more needs to be done to protect the natural and cultural resources of Utah's Labyrinth Canyon from off-road vehicles…

A mountain peak near Provo is now Kweeyahgut Peak, one of 50 sites in Utah being renamed by the U.S. Department of the Interior. (Wikimedia Commons)

Interior Dept. Orders Changes to 650 Place Names to Remove Indigenous Slurs

The U.S. Interior Department has ordered name changes for nearly 650 sites on federal lands, in Utah and across the country, containing words …

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument was named for the multicolored layers of sedimentary rock that look like a stairway across southern Utah. (Dean Pennala/Adobe Stock)

BLM Seeking Comments on Grand Staircase-Escalante Management Plan

The Bureau of Land Management is kicking off its planning process for managing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with several public hearing…

Extremist groups are trying to undercut the 30x30 Initiative in President Joe Biden's America the Beautiful Program. (JoPanuwat/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists Call Out Extremist Group for Dispensing Disinformation

Disinformation has sadly become a part of American political discourse, but one environmental organization is calling out a group of anti-government …

It's estimated that motorist/wildlife collisions result in more than 200 human deaths and 26,000 injuries annually in the U.S. (Eric Kilby/Flickr)

Utah Approves $1 Million for Wildlife Crossings

Utah is taking new action to reduce the deaths of wildlife along roads and highways. Congress allocated $350 million in the bipartisan …

Glen Canyon Dam is 710 feet tall and impounds the Colorado River to form the 26-million-acre-foot Lake Powell reservoir. (shuvro ghose/Adobe Stock)

A Contest to Change Glen Canyon Dam, 'Re-Wild' Colorado River

A contest to "Re-Wild the Colorado River" is seeking engineering alternatives from the public for the future of Glen Canyon Dam. Conservation groups …

Grand Staircase-Escalante in southern Utah is one of dozens of national monuments that could be fully protected under the 30x30 Conservation Plan. (Andrushko/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists See 2022 as Critical Year for 30x30 Initiative

Conservationists say significant progress was made in 2021 toward the goals of the 30x30 Initiative, to have 30% of the world's land and oceans …

The number of people camping in national parks and other public lands in Utah and elsewhere has skyrocketed in the past six years, according to a new study. (merrvas/Adobe Stock)

Study: Camping's Popularity Spikes on Utah Public Lands

SALT LAKE CITY -- If you went camping on Utah's public lands this past summer, you were not alone, literally. A new survey shows a major increase …

Droughts caused by climate change can lower water levels in creeks and streams and affect water quality, making it difficult, if not impossible, for anglers to pursue their sport. (Mikhail/Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Must Speak Up about Climate Change

SALT LAKE CITY -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring their …

Utah's Goblin Valley State Park is one of four areas that could see oil and gas exploration if the BLM auctions off the parcels for mineral leases. (Colin/LindaMcKee/Adobe Stock)<br />

Judge's Ruling Puts Utah Wildlands at Risk for Oil-Gas Exploration

GREEN RIVER, Utah -- Despite a January presidential order pausing all oil and gas leases on public lands, the federal government has restarted the …

A symbolic 5,000-pound totem pole, hand-carved by Jewell James of the Lummi Nation in Washington state, will be at a blessing ceremony Saturday at Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. (#RedRoadtoDC)

Totem Pole Journey to Support Bears Ears Restoration This Weekend

MONTICELLO, Utah -- The movement to restore the Bears Ears National Monument in southeast Utah gets a major boost this weekend when a hand-carved …

The Biden administration's 30x30 Plan to fight climate change by preserving public lands, such as the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, may not be possible without congressional action. (Laurens/Adobe Stock)

30x30 Plan Fights Climate Change by Protecting Public Lands, Waters

MONTICELLO, Utah - The 30 by 30 Plan, also called the "the "America the Beautiful" campaign" campaign, aims to preserve 30% of the nation's public …

President Joe Biden has nominated longtime environmentalist Tracy Stone-Manning to serve as director of the Bureau of Land Management. (NWF Photo)

Conservationists Laud Choice of Stone-Manning to Head BLM

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists in Utah and across the West are praising the Biden administration's nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning, a longtime …

Conservationists Back Congressional Effort to Restore Methane Controls

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists and others are optimistic key climate-change regulations on methane leaks rolled back during the Trump administration …

Migrating wildlife is at risk for collisions with vehicles when crossing highways, but land bridges can allow them to safely cross roads and rail lines. (Adobe Stock)

New Funding Could Be Key to Wildlife Migration Programs

OGDEN, Utah -- Wildlife migrations are a part of the American West's lore and history, but many of those centuries-old passages are now obstructed by …

About 38-million acres of onshore and offshore public lands are under lease, but critics say organizational, financial and environmental problems abound. (Jeffery/Adobe Stock)

Feds to Review Public-Lands Oil & Gas Lease Program

GREEN RIVER, Utah - The Biden administration has ordered the U.S. Department of the Interior to conduct a review of the federal government's oil-and-…

U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., could be the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary if she is confirmed to lead the Department of the Interior. (Wikimedia Commons)

Haaland on Track to be First Native American Cabinet Secretary

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Biden administration's nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., to head the U.S. Interior Department is seen as a momentous …

Restoring EPA regulations on vehicle emissions standards could help the Wasatch Front/Salt Lake City region roll back its annual brown cloud, which appears each winter. (Utah Dept. of Health)

For Utah, Biden Climate-Change Plan Could Mean Cleaner Air, New Jobs

SALT LAKE CITY -- President Joe Biden released a package of executive orders this week designed to fight climate change, curb pollution, conserve …

About 2,000 rare Mojave Desert tortoises are left in southern Utah's Red Cliff Desert Reserve. The reptiles are considered

Conservationists Expand Utah Preserve to Save Mojave Desert Tortoise

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- A public-private partnership has obtained a parcel of Utah wilderness to protect the critical habitat of the threatened Mojave …

The Jacob Hamblin Arch is part of the former Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument that Utah conservationists hope will be restored by the incoming Biden administration. (kojihirano/Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Groups Look to Biden Administration to Save Utah Wildlands

MOAB, Utah -- Utah conservation groups, battered by four years of Trump administration rollbacks of public-land protections, say they're looking for …

The Ashley National Forest in northeastern Utah is part of more than 8 million acres of woodlands in the state managed by the U.S. Forest Service. (Jeff/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Groups Cry Foul Over Forest-Service Rule Change

OGDEN, Utah -- The U.S. Forest Service has issued a controversial rule green-lighting activities such as logging and road-building in national …

Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management, William Pendley Perry (center), tours outdoor trails near Moab in 2019 with several BLM staff members. (BLM)

Federal Judge Orders Removal of Acting BLM Director

MOAB, Utah -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) begins this week without a director. In a win for conservation groups and a number of Western …

The Uinta Basin Railway was designed to transport crude oil from production fields across rural Utah to refineries in nearby states. (alexhiotrov/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Groups Sue UT Agency for Funding Private Oil/Gas Railway

MOAB, Utah - Conservation groups have sued a Utah state agency, claiming illegal use of public money to construct a private oil-and-gas rail line…

The rare Mexican gray wolf is protected in all states by the Endangered Species Act, except in parts of northeastern Utah, where it has been delisted. (gnagel/AdobeStock)

Conservationists Ask Utah to Spare Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf

LOGAN, Utah -- Utah officials have placed a trap-and-destroy order on an endangered Mexican gray wolf believed to have killed livestock in the state…

A 2019 audit by the Utah Legislature found the state regulatory agency in charge of inspecting oil and gas production had not issued a single fine in its 20-year history. (Craddick/Adobe Stock)

Utah Oil and Gas Regulators Fail to Issue Fines to Polluters

SALT LAKE CITY -- Regulatory agencies in most western states have improved their oversight of the oil and gas industry in recent years. A recent …

This area of Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument shows the results of mechanical clearing, also called

Groups Say Federal Agencies Hide Behind Pandemic to Attack Public Lands

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists are accusing federal officials of using the coronavirus crisis as a smokescreen to issue controversial rules on public …

The number of greater sage grouse, a threatened species, has dropped from 16 million a century ago to less than 500,000 today in Utah and other Western states. (KerryHargrove/Adobe Stock)

Court Ruling Voids Oil/Gas Leases in Sage-Grouse Habitat

CEDAR CITY, Utah -- A federal judge has voided 1 million acres of oil and gas leases in Utah and other Western states, saying the federal government …

A Trump administration plan could open up parts of the fragile Grand Staircase-Escalante (above) and Bears Ears national monuments in Utah to drilling, mining and grazing in 2021. (dhayes/AdobeStock)

Groups, Tribes Battle Trump's Plan to Develop Utah Monuments

MONTICELLO, Utah -- Advocacy groups are upset -- though not surprised -- by the Trump administration's plan to open up almost 1 million acres of …

$A group of Kanab citizens believed a planned fracking sand mine in the sandstone hills near the town would destroy the local environment. (spiritofamerica/AdobeStock)$

Developer Abandons Plan to Mine Fracking Sand Near Kanab

KANAB, Utah -- A group of activists in the southern Utah town of Kanab have convinced a developer to abandon its plans to mine sand for oil and gas …

The BLM has been ordered to pull back dozens of oil and gas leases, including ones in the Black Dragon Canyon wilderness area in Utah, because it did not properly analyze the effects that oil exploration would have on climate change. (Antropova/AdobeStock)

BLM Ordered to Redo Climate Reviews on Utah Oil Leases

MOAB, Utah — A court challenge by conservation groups has forced the Bureau of Land Management to pull back dozens of oil and gas leases in …

The National Park Service plans to allow all-terrain vehicles, such as ATVs and UTVs, to travel access roads and back roads in Utah parks beginning in November. (muro/AdobeStock)

Groups Oppose Plan to Allow ATVs in Utah National Parks

MOAB, Utah – The peace and quiet of the back roads in many of Utah's national parks soon could be interrupted by the roar of all-terrain …

Ancient petroglyphs line more than 40 miles of rock wall faces along southern Utah's Nine Mile Canyon, which has been called the

Groups Sue to Halt Oil, Gas Leases on Utah Public Lands

SALT LAKE CITY – A coalition of conservation groups is suing the Trump administration to halt the potential environmental damage from 130 oil an…

The Dixie National Forest, which covers about 3,000 square miles in southwest Utah, is one of the largest of six national forests in the state. (U.S. Forest Service)

Groups Object to Proposed Forest Service Rule Changes

CEDAR CITY, Utah – Conservation groups are challenging the Trump administration over proposed changes to U.S. Forest Service rules to allow …

Cedar Mesa in Southern Utah is part of thousands of square miles of public lands in the Western United States. Federal officials are considering moving the BLM's headquarters from Washington, D.C. to a western state to better manage public lands. (HannahCowan/BLM)

Conservationists Oppose Moving BLM HQ to Western State

SALT LAKE CITY — Federal officials say they plan to reveal later this year whether they will relocate the Bureau of Land Management headquarters…

BLM bulldozers, using tools such as bullhog masticators and anchor chains, annually strip thousands of acres of native vegetation from public lands in the West. (WildUtahProject)

Groups Fight BLM Over Clear-Cutting in National Monument

MOAB, Utah — Conservation groups are calling on the Bureau of Land Management to halt work on massive "vegetation treatment" programs inside …

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was one of two major parcels of public land in Utah to be reduced in size by President Donald Trump in 2017. (Wikimedia Commons)

Hearing Probes Dismantling of Utah National Monuments

ESCALANTE, Utah – A Congressional oversight hearing today examines the federal government's dismantling of two national monuments in Utah…

The Colorado pikeminnow is one of the endangered fish species threatened by oil-shale development in the Uintah Basin. (TaylorMcKinnon/Center for Biological Diversity)

Groups Plan to Sue Feds Over Utah Oil-Shale Project

VERNAL, Utah – A coalition of conservation groups plans to sue the Trump administration over plans to construct a commercial oil-shale …

A mountain biker surveys the terrain on the Gooseberry Mesa National Recreation Trail in southern Utah. (Wikimedia Commons)

Poll: Utahns Say Protecting Public Lands a Priority

GREEN RIVER, Utah — Utah voters expressed strong opinions in a new poll on issues such as climate change, protecting public lands and outdoor …

Its backers say a bill to help fund an almost $12 billion maintenance backlog at America�s national parks, including Utah�s Canyonlands, has the support to pass Congress next year. (Winterbear/WikimediaCommons)

Push for National Park Maintenance Funds to Continue

GREEN RIVER, Utah — A bipartisan push in Congress to pay for a multi-billion-dollar maintenance backlog at national parks, in Utah and across …

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UT: Public Lands/Wilderness