Public Lands

Farrell Hayes represents something that veteran firefighters say is harder to come by these days: a young person who wants to get involved in firefighting.

The Senate parliamentarian ruled out Lee's proposal to sell federal land for housing and infrastructure from the Republicans’ big tax and spending cut bill. The Senate is pushing hard to pass the "big beautiful bill" by July 4.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says the approach is problematic while Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon voiced qualified support for plans to tap federal land for development.

The proposal would make 18.7 million acres of Utah public lands eligible to be sold, including parcels that overlap with popular trails like Mount Ogden, Grandeur Peak and Mount Timpanogos.

The draft provision from Utah's senior senator comes after a similar proposal, backed by Rep. Celeste Maloy, was narrowly defeated in the House. Lee says the sales would target isolated parcels that could be used for housing or infrastructure.

The legal opinion released Tuesday disavows a 1938 determination that monuments created by previous president can’t be revoked.

Wyoming state Sen. Bob Ide backs a niche argument that Congress is constitutionally obligated to hand over ownership of its land. In neighboring Utah, state leaders firmly believe they should have more control of federal land.

Environmental reviews of mining operations normally take months or years. But after President Donald Trump declared a “national energy emergency,” it took just 11 days for the Bureau of Land Management to approve the Velvet-Wood uranium mine's plan to resume operations in San Juan County.

The amendment proposed by Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy would have sold more than 10,000 acres of federal land near St. George to local governments.

Local leaders want to shore up roads and water infrastructure for Washington County’s future growth. Conservationists worry it could open the door to privatizing Western landscapes.

Without clear details on how Congressional Republicans' plan to sell or transfer 460,000 acres of public land will work, skeptics worry it could be a giveaway for developers and mining companies.

All but one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks had an increase in visitors from the previous year. At the same time, concerns linger about how federal job cuts might impact park crowds.