Congress is attempting to use the Congressional Review Act to remove a national monument management plan, a targeted attack on protected public lands in Utah and across the country.

The proposed Northern Corridor Highway would carve a four-lane, high-speed road through designated critical habitat for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise within Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.

SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH – A historic achievement in Indigenous-informed conservation and collaborative management of nature was marked today with the finalization of the Bears Ears Resource Management Plan–a roadmap that outlines the goals, policies, and objectives for managing natural resources on publicly-owned land.  “The significance of this Resource Management Plan can’t be overstated,” said Jocelyn Torres, Chief Conservation Officer for the Conservation Lands Foundation. “The Plan sets a powerful precedent for Tribal leadership and is the result of unprecedented collaboration between the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission–Navajo, Hopi, Ute Mountain Tribe, Ute Tribe and Zuni, federal agencies, and community partners to create a framework of shared stewardship. “It culminates decades of effort to protect Bears Ears’ sacred places, cultural heritage, and ecological systems for future generations, which accelerated when President Obama established it as a National Monument in 2016–and then stalled when President Trump reduced the size of the monument by 85 percent and attempted to open the lands for development. Tribal Nations, CLF, and many other partners successfully fought against that reduction and secured President Biden’s reinstatement of the original boundaries in 2021. “Utah voters overwhelmingly support their national monuments and a strong role for Native American Tribes in helping to manage their ancestral lands. We wholeheartedly support the Tribes’ preferred version of the Bears Ears management plan, which ensures the protection of sacred places, cultural heritage, and ecological systems. “As a partner in the creation of the Bears Ears National Monument, we will continue to vigorously defend its protection and that of other beloved and sacred national monuments that are part of the country’s National Conservation Lands system, including its first unit–Grand Staircase-Escalante,” said Torres. ####

Washington, DC (January 13, 2025) – Today, the United States Supreme Court agreed to not hear a case that could decide whether America’s federal, public lands can be sold to private companies for profit. Earlier this year, with the backing of Republican officials from 12 other states, the state of Utah filed an unprecedented lawsuit at the United States Supreme Court seeking an order requiring that the federal government begin selling off or otherwise “disposing” of more than 18.5 million acres of public lands in Utah. If successful, this effort would have implicated more than 200 million acres of public lands across the West. These lands, currently held in trust for the American people, are targets for privatization, degradation, and oil and gas drilling. The sell-off and privatization of public lands has sparked intense opposition, with a broad coalition of western residents, elected officials, sportsmen, and advocacy groups vocally resisting these efforts. While the Supreme Court rejected Utah’s current efforts, attacks to America’s public lands are anticipated to continue in the upcoming administration. Today’s decision comes on the heels of the 119th Congress voting on a rules package to accelerate the sale of public lands . Quotes in Reaction to the Supreme Court Case and Public Land Seizer “We must stand united against this un-American land grab to ensure that our public lands remain accessible and protected for future generations. Our public lands are not for sale. Full stop.” – Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee “This lawsuit is an assault on the country’s long-standing and successful history of safeguarding valuable and vulnerable landscapes in trust for all Americans, and while the Supreme Court’s decision to not hear the case is a reprieve, we fully expect this small group of anti-public lands politicians continue to waste taxpayer dollars and shop their bad ideas, said Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer for the Conservation Lands Foundation. “Public lands are incredibly popular with Utahans and all Americans and this aggressive attack and blatant power-grab by a handful of Utah politicians could open the country’s remaining natural landscapes to largely unregulated exploitation of its resources–thereby closing them from the public. We will continue to defend and preserve the public’s access to public lands.” “Utah’s case is massively flawed, and we’re pleased to see the Court recognize that and leave 150 years’ worth of established public lands law firmly in place. The nation’s public lands are as popular as ever. People want these places conserved and managed responsibly--not sold off, privatized or despoiled. Today’s news is good for the stability, safety and sustainability for America’s public lands and the people who depend on them”, said Alison Flint, Senior Legal Director at The Wilderness Society . “While the Court's decision denying original review of Utah's claims is welcome news for our shared public lands, we fully expect Utah’s misguided attacks to continue and stand ready to mount a robust defense to ensure our public lands are protected.” “We’re grateful the Supreme Court swiftly rejected the State of Utah’s misguided land grab lawsuit. For more than 100 years, the Supreme Court has affirmed the power of the federal government to hold and manage public lands on behalf of all Americans,” said Steve Bloch, Legal Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance . “If successful, Utah’s lawsuit would result in the sale of millions of acres of public lands in redrock country to the highest bidder, an end to America’s system of federal public lands, and the dismantling of the American West as we know it. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will continue our unwavering efforts to ensure every attempted land grab by Utah politicians fails.” “The Supreme Court was correct to reject this unfounded lawsuit. More than a century of legal precedent is clear – it is the role of the federal government to manage public lands for the benefit of all Americans. This lawsuit and its backers sought to overturn that precedent, giving away public resources for the private profit of big corporations. For more than a century, our parks and public lands have been part of what makes us special as a country, and we will continue to defend the right of all Americans to enjoy and explore those landscapes,” said Sanjay Narayan, Chief Appellate Counsel of Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program "The Supreme Court's decision to decline hearing Utah's lawsuit is a win for Colorado's public lands and the many people who value them. It reinforces how public lands are more than just iconic landscapes across the West, but also a core part of our national identity,” said Scott Braden, Director of Colorado Wildlands Project . “Unfortunately, it also underscores the importance of designations to protect our wildlands. For Colorado, this means we must continue working to preserve places like the Dolores Canyons, ensuring they remain intact and accessible to the public for future generations to enjoy and explore." “Public lands are one of America’s best ideas and an intrinsic part of our identity,” said John Robison, Public Lands and Wildlife Director for the Idaho Conservation League. “This takeover effort was never about “local control” but ultimately about selling off our natural heritage to the highest bidder. We are glad that the Supreme Court rejected this takeover attempt/We are dismayed that the Supreme Court is entertaining this takeover attempt/ and will do everything in our power to make sure that public lands stay in public hands.” America's opinion leaders are also deeply opposed to selling off public lands: Denver Post , Utah’s twisted lawsuit is corrupting the West’s (and Colorado’s commitment to public lands ,(December 30th, 2024) “The greatest assault on public lands in American history is being led by Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox, who is suing the federal government to take over 18.5 million acres of public lands managed and protected by the Bureau of Land Management. The lawsuit makes us question for how many more generations the promise of Yellowstone National Park – “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people” – will stand in America. And the mentality of public lands being disposable to the highest bidder may be seeping into states across the West. Cox claims he wants the land to “actively manage and protect our natural resources.” But it’s hard not to suspect that the real reason he wants to remove the Bureau of Land Management’s oversight of these public lands is to open them up for private profit – development, mining, logging and disposal — at the expense of the American people” Idaho Statesman , Utah revives public land grab scheme, (September 22, 2024) “The courts have made a more conservative turn, but I don’t think even this Supreme Court is likely to overcome the quite clear law and Constitutional provisions that would bar Utah from taking over public lands,” University of Colorado environmental law professor Mark Squillace told the AP. But we shouldn’t count on that. We should apply continuous pressure against this and similar land-grabbing efforts (like the hundreds of thousands of dollars Idaho has spent on dubious efforts to have its federal lands valued). If you’re against the land-grabbing movement, make sure your elected officials know it — particularly Attorney General Raul Labrador, who can decide whether Idaho files an amicus brief in support of Utah’s lawsuit.” Salt Lake Tribune , Utah’s Latest Land Grab Lawsuit has No Legal Leg to Stand on, (September 8, 2024). “In the 2004 adventure movie “ National Treasure, ” the Nicolas Cage character tries to convince people at the National Archives that there is a secret message on the back of the original Declaration of Independence. Written in invisible ink. In the story, it turns out that such a message really exists, and leads to the discovery of a large treasure that has been lost for more than 200 years. In real life, the claim that a key government document contains invisible, century-old messages that only a few clever people know about is the core of Utah’s latest lawsuit seeking to seize millions of acres of federal land.In other words, a total fantasy. An expensive and embarrassing one.” Las Vegas Sun , Utah has no case for clawing back public land, but court unpredictable , (November 24, 2024) “The Supreme Court must reject Utah’s misguided attempt to seize public lands. The stakes are too high. If the court allows this lawsuit to succeed, it will not only privatize millions of acres of public land but also jeopardize the West’s way of life and undermine the very principle of shared stewardship that defines our nation’s public lands. America’s public lands are a trust — not just for this generation but for all those to come. We must protect them, not for profit or political gain, but for the enduring benefit of all.” The New York Times - John Leshy , Utah Wants the Supreme Court to Give It Land Owned by All Americans, (January 8th, 2025) “Utah seeks to give a small group of unelected justices, and not Congress, ultimate authority over America’s public lands, owned by all Americans and entrusted to the federal government for their wise use and protection. The result would most likely spell disaster for the stewardship of some of the nation’s most significant landscapes, while accelerating the decline in the court’s stature with the American people.” Outside Magazine , 18.5 Million Acres of Public Land Are on the Line in Utah in a New Lawsuit, (September 16, 2024). “Politicians in Utah have a long history of trying to sell off your public land to benefit the oil, gas, and other extractive industries that fund their campaigns. This time they’re trying to do it with a lawsuit designed to go straight to the Supreme Court. That lawsuit argues that all Bureau of Land Management acres within the state’s borders should be transferred to Utah’s control. If they succeed, the public could lose access to millions of acres that we use to pursue our favorite outdoor activities, wildlife could lose its habitat, and the environment could suffer. Worse, if the Supreme Court accepts the theory that states should have control over federal land, the upshot could be devastating. It could create precedent that might allow politicians in other western states to do the same.”

St. George, UT – Yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) signed a Record of Decision to deny a right-of-way for the four-lane Northern Corridor Highway through Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwestern Utah near Zion National Park. “For the seventh time, the agencies have once again concluded that punching a high-speed four-lane highway through a National Conservation Area and critical habitat for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise undermines both the habitat needed for the tortoise to survive and the purposes of the congressional designation as an NCA,” said Todd C. Tucci, senior attorney with Advocates for the West and counsel for conservation groups. “We congratulate the agencies in acknowledging both the broad public opposition to the highway, and the underlying requirement to manage this NCA for conservation and recreation.” Yesterday’s decision confirms the federal agencies’ rejection of the Northern Corridor Highway project, which would have torn through critical habitat for the imperiled Mojave desert tortoise, violated five bedrock environmental laws, damaged iconic scenic vistas, disrupted treasured outdoor recreation opportunities and set a dangerous precedent for developing federally protected conservation areas across the U.S. According to the final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) , the Northern Corridor Highway is a poor option for the St. George community, as it would increase fire probability and frequency, result in permanent loss to designated critical tortoise habitat, spread noxious weeds and invasive plants and adversely impact the highest number of cultural and historical resources of all considered alternatives. This long-anticipated Record of Decision marks the conclusion of the agencies’ final SEIS , released on November 7, 2024, and is the result of a decades-long fight from local residents, conservation organizations and outdoor recreationists to keep the highway out of the NCA. While this decision is a significant victory for public lands protection nationwide, it does not change the fact that world-class recreation and critical species habitat within the Greater Moe’s Valley Area—a treasured area south of the NCA—remains at risk of development. Roughly half of the lands within the Greater Moe’s Valley Area are managed by the Utah Trust Lands Administration and lack long-term conservation protections.

Utah - Today, the Conservation Lands Foundation welcomes the release of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service’s final environmental impact statement and proposed resource management plan for Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, a crucial step in ensuring the protection of one of the nation’s most culturally and ecologically significant landscapes. The 1.36-million-acre monument is a living testament to the ancestral homelands of Tribal Nations and holds an unparalleled richness of cultural sites, historic landmarks, and natural wonders.  This proposed plan represents the culmination of years of collaboration between the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission and local stakeholders. Importantly, the plan honors Tribal co-stewardship, recognizing the Bears Ears Commission and formally incorporating Traditional Indigenous Knowledge into the monument’s management framework. This approach marks a pivotal shift in how public lands are protected and managed, setting a new standard for federal-Tribal partnerships. Statement from Ben Katz, Southwest associate program director for Conservation Lands Foundation: “As the only nonprofit solely dedicated to protecting, restoring, and expanding the BLM’s National Conservation Lands system, the Conservation Lands Foundation remains deeply engaged in BLM land-use planning across the West to ensure that these plans guide future management decisions in the right way. “While we are still reviewing the proposed plan, we are encouraged by the emphasis on Tribal co-stewardship, which ensures that the voices of the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and Pueblo of Zuni will continue to shape the future of Bears Ears. "This plan is a significant step toward righting historic wrongs and fostering a collective healing process, going further than simply conserving land and toward safeguarding the cultural heritage, traditions, and identity of Indigenous communities who have been stewarding this landscape since time immemorial.” ####

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Today, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Conservation Lands Foundation, and The Wilderness Society (together, the “Conservation Groups”) filed a motion to intervene to defend the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Public Lands Rule against a lawsuit brought this past summer by the American Farm Bureau and other industry trade associations representing the oil and gas and mining industries. The Conservation Groups argue that the Public Lands Rule will help modernize the management practices of the BLM and ensure that the agency has the tools to meet future challenges, like growing pressure from climate change, and to restore public lands from the impacts of development. These groups celebrated the finalization of the rule, which was overwhelmingly supported by the public during the comment period , and are now engaging to defend it from attacks. Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF), Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), and The Wilderness Society (TWS) are represented by Advocates for the West , SUWA, and Kaplan Kirsch LLP. “This lawsuit - like the state of Utah’s challenge to the Rule - is out of touch with the majority of Utahns who support conservation and know climate change is a serious problem,” said Stephen Bloch, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Legal Director . “Utah is predicted to be hit particularly hard by the impacts of a hotter, drier, and more unpredictable climate. The Public Lands Rule gives BLM and the public a framework and important tools to begin work to stem the tide.” “This lawsuit is a clear attempt by extractive industries to maintain their stranglehold on our public lands for private benefit,” said Todd Tucci, Senior Attorney with Advocates for the West . “It’s long past time for BLM to address the pervasive degradation caused by extraction and fully implement the common-sense Public Lands Rule to ensure the ecological health and resilience of our public lands. This industry attempt to block BLM from fulfilling that statutory obligation - critical to meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing climate - should be rejected.” “Multinational oil and gas, mining, and other extractive industries have joined the torrent of litigation launched by anti-public lands states to keep the rules governing management of public lands permanently tipped in their favor,” said Alison Flint, Senior Legal Director at The Wilderness Society. “The BLM Public Lands Rule seeks to balance management of public lands as Congress intended almost a half-century ago. Unfortunately it's no surprise that industry groups are piling on with more meritless claims opposing balanced management. These cases should be dismissed to ensure that the agency adheres to the law that was put in place by Congress fifty years ago.” “This lawsuit against the Rule appears to be motivated by a puzzling fear of implementing existing law - the Federal Land Policy and Management Act - and an unwillingness to recognize today’s realities,” said Charlotte Overby, Vice President of Conservation Field Programs at the Conservation Lands Foundation . “This new guidance will improve ecological and climate resilience, and provide the tools managers need to restore habitat from wildfires, drought, and other negative impacts. It also keeps important recreation areas – that are local economic engines – open and accessible to the public. Supporters of the Public Lands Rule include legal experts, western lawmakers, local elected officials, and governors who participated in a robust public process, and more than 90% of public comments were in support of this sensible Rule.” Today’s legal action follows other motions to intervene ( July 26 , September 19 , and September 30 ) by conservation groups in three other lawsuits filed by the states of Alaska, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Idaho, and Montana, which challenge the Public Lands Rule. The Public Lands Rule went into effect in June after a year-long process to engage the public in its development. ###

Washington, D.C. - Today, the state of Utah filed a lawsuit before the Supreme Court demanding ownership of 18.5 million acres of federal public land in the state. The case could significantly affect access to public lands not only in Utah but also throughout the Western United States and Alaska. As the only non-profit organization solely focused on protecting the public’s access to lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Conservation Lands Foundation issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit: Statement from Jocelyn Torres, Co-Interim Executive Director and Chief Conservation Officer:  “This lawsuit is as frivolous as they come and a blatant power-grab by a handful of Utah politicians whose escalating aggression has become an attack on all public lands as we know them. Their previous attempt to decimate America’s cherished Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments and their attack on the Public Lands Rule clearly shows their intention to take away opportunities for enjoying, recreating on, and accessing public lands. “Public lands are increasingly among the last places that bring people together, making this lawsuit a cynical, divisive move that blatantly ignores the fact that only Congress can transfer or dispose of federal lands, serving as a safeguard against such attacks. The lawsuit is an enormous waste of taxpayer dollars at a time when Utah’s public lands continue to be an economic engine and lifeline for communities throughout the state and when Utahns and all Americans overwhelmingly support their access to them.” ####

St. George, UT – Today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to reconsider a right-of-way for the proposed four-lane Northern Corridor Highway through Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwestern Utah near Zion National Park. The proposed Northern Corridor Highway route violates five bedrock environmental laws and threatens critical habitat for the imperiled Mojave desert tortoise, recreational opportunities and scenic vistas. In response to the release of the draft SEIS, a coalition of Utah-based and national conservation organizations including Conserve Southwest Utah, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), Conservation Lands Foundation, Advocates for the West, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and WildEarth Guardians reiterated their opposition to the Northern Corridor Highway route and urged community members to participate in the public comment period, which has begun. “We look forward to reviewing the supplemental environmental and scientific analysis on the impacts of punching a four-lane high speed highway through the heart of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and critical habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise,” said Todd Tucci, senior attorney for Advocates of the West, who represented the plaintiffs in litigation. “We are confident that after an objective review of the science and inevitable environmental impacts, the BLM will agree with its prior analysis and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s scientists that the Northern Corridor Highway would be ‘biologically devastating’ to the integrity of the Red Cliffs NCA and desert tortoise,” said Tucci. “There are better transportation options that exist than the Northern Corridor Highway route that serve our growing community needs while protecting wildlife and the scenic values that make our area such a special place to live, work and raise our families,” said Holly Snow Canada, executive director of Conserve Southwest Utah. “This highway is an ill-conceived idea that needs to go away once and for all. We urge BLM to reject the highway and prevent the bulldozing of critical habitat for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise,” said Desiree Sorensen-Groves, vice president of land and habitat conservation for Defenders of Wildlife. “The Bureau of Land Management shouldn't be considering routing a new highway through the stunning Red Cliffs National Conservation Area,” said Lisa Belenky, a senior counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The conservation area is home to threatened desert tortoises, distinctive local plants and other wildlife. It’s also a natural refuge for people in this growing urban area. We’re committed to keeping it whole and wild.” The release of the draft SEIS initiates a 45-day comment period for public feedback as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The BLM will announce a public meeting on the draft SEIS, providing an opportunity for questions and feedback. “The plan offers several alternatives, but it’s up to us to ensure the agencies make the right decision in the end: a highway doesn’t belong in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area,” said Snow Canada. “While we’re still evaluating the draft, we urge community members who care about protecting Red Cliffs to stay engaged in the process and save the date for the public meeting. We will be issuing guidance on how community members can submit a substantive comment to the agencies soon.” This SEIS is a result of a settlement agreement reached in November 2023 between the federal government and plaintiffs of a lawsuit filed in 2021. The lawsuit, brought by Utah-based and national conservation organizations, challenged a 2021 decision by the BLM and FWS to approve a highway right-of-way through the Red Cliffs NCA. The lawsuit cited violations of five federal environmental protection laws (the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act). Shortly after the settlement agreement was signed, a U.S. District Court remanded the 2021 approval of the right-of-way, confirming that the highway would fragment sensitive wildlife habitat for threatened species, reduce outdoor recreation access to the area and set a dangerous precedent for protected public lands across the US. “My wife and I moved to enjoy our golden years next to the stunning Red Cliffs National Conservation Area,” said Mike Brand, a Green Springs homeowner who opposes the highway, “There are other transportation options available to expedite traffic in Washington County without running the Northern Corridor Highway through the crown jewel of Washington County.” Since 2006, local residents and concerned citizens across the country have voiced opposition to the highway, pointing out transportation alternatives outside of Red Cliffs NCA that do a better job of relieving traffic congestion, supporting economic growth and protecting wildlife, scenic beauty and local access to trails. Background on Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA): The 44,724-acre Red Cliffs NCA is part of the larger Red Cliffs Desert Reserve that is collaboratively managed by the BLM, the FWS, the State of Utah, Washington County, and other municipalities. The Reserve was established under the 1995 Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) as part of a “grand compromise” to protect ~61,000 acres of public lands for the Mojave desert tortoise (listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act), while opening 300,000 acres of state and private lands for development. The Red Cliffs National Conservation Area was established in 2009 by Congress to “conserve, protect, and enhance…ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources” of the public lands within the unit. The region is home to important populations of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise and other at-risk plants and animals including the Gila monster, burrowing owl and kit fox. The Mojave desert tortoise is on a path to extinction according to leading researchers and its habitat in Southwest Utah is especially vulnerable given recent and anticipated growth in the region. The NCA is 45 miles from Zion National Park, and includes 130 miles of trails, two wilderness areas, heritage public use sites, Native American cultural artifacts, several threatened/endangered species and one of Utah’s most popular state parks , Snow Canyon State Park. People from all over the state, country, and world visit to hike, mountain bike, rock climb, horseback ride, photograph and marvel at the expansive red rock landscape.

CONSERVE SOUTHWEST UTAH CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION SOUTHERN UTAH WILDERNESS ALLIANCE THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE WILDEARTH GUARDIANS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16th, 2023 

New Plan Will Protect Over One Million Acres of Wyoming’s Red Desert

7 reasons why any adventurer should want to protect, appreciate and experience this wild (and contested) Southeast Utah national monument. By Cyrus Norcross. The original article was posted on publiclands.com . To read the original blog click here. As pandemic travel restrictions ease, outdoor explorers, scientists and Native Americans are all visiting Bears Ears National Monument much more frequently. The reasons for the visitation uptick start with world-class recreation opportunities that abound: from hiking, camping, fishing and hunting, to whitewater rafting and paddling. But that’s only the start, as the cultural draws stack up quickly: over 100,000 archaeological and fossilized dinosaur sites to survey; endless wildlife to observe, including 18 animals on the endangered species list; plus a wealth of plants to study, used medicinally for centuries by Native American tribes. It might seem obvious to preserve and protect an area that five of those tribes declare sacred. However, Bears Ears has been nothing but controversial due to its “low to moderate energy and mineral development potential,” notably for uranium/vanadium . Eleven months after President Barack Obama’s 2016 designation of Bears Ears as a national monument, President Donald Trump reduced it by 85 percent—despite the surveyed area’s total lack of coal, minimal renewable energy resources, and low potential ( to only moderate in two small areas ) for oil and gas. The reduction triggered concerns for archaeological sites being looted, new roads and mining sites disrupting the ecosystem, all with unintentional consequences on the area’s biodiversity. The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition (BEITC) responded. Founded in 2015 by five tribes—Navajo, Hopi, Ute Mountain Tribe, Ute Tribe and Zuni—the BEITC has worked tirelessly to preserve Bears Ears. In October 2021, as a testament to its efforts, President Joe Biden redesignated the monument’s initial boundary of 1.3 million acres and added 11,200 acres. And though the original boundaries were reinstated, the work is far from over. Beyond continuing land protection and advocacy efforts, the BEITC strives to educate all on the lasting benefits of a preserved Bears Ears. On a recent trip with the Public Lands Fund* and the Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF), the BEITC provided a critical spotlight of what all is at stake for this one-of-a-kind monument worth any adventurer’s attention and respectful appreciation . On a personal level, as a lifelong resident of the bordering Navajo Nation, I can attest to having overlooked this rich area. Over three full days, I enjoyed all that Bears Ears has to offer with people who laid eyes on the landscape for the first time. I took away seven reasons why this wild, protected and public land in Southeast Utah matters now more than ever.

This week I had the opportunity to hand deliver a petition to the Department of the Interior with signatures from 35,828 residents in every U.S. state. Our petition is urging the Department of the Interior to reverse approval of the Northern Corridor Highway, a four-lane highway through Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) in southern Utah.

President Biden announced today that he is restoring protections for the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. We applaud President Biden and Secretary Haaland for their leadership and persistence for this meaningful result and we hope you take a moment to read below how significant this decision is and what it means for future National Monument designations.  As you know, four years ago President Trump cut the size of the Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in half. This action removed protections for some of the most culturally important land for the Hopi, Diné, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Zuni peoples, world-renowned hotbeds of paleontological research, and world-class destinations for outdoor recreation and natural beauty. Bears Ears is the first tribally-requested national monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante the first monument placed into the National Landscape Conservation System to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management and not the U.S. Park Service. Conservation Lands Foundation responded quickly and joined with sovereign tribal nations connected to the land and local and national organizations in a lawsuit against the Administration’s actions. On the ground, our Friends Groups could only stand by and monitor–while withstanding the devastating impacts of the pandemic–the degradation of sacred sites and former Indigenous settlements from mining, grazing, looting and other activities that occurred on the unprotected lands. Woody Lee, Executive Director of Utah Diné Bikéyah said they celebrate the restoration while also acknowledging “the challenging times our native communities are having right now which makes this achievement bittersweet but a welcome and hopeful change for the future. We appreciate all the support and hard work of many people, organizations, leaders, and supporters who have helped advance our mission of healing the land and the people." Sarah Bauman, Executive Director of Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, recognizes it will be important to work “with Tribal leaders, conservation partners, the Bureau of Land Management, local and state officials, and others to safeguard irreplaceable natural and cultural resources, conduct essential research related to biodiversity and climate change, and protect Grand Staircase in perpetuity.” With protections restored we can breathe a sigh of relief but we can’t relent. Now is the window to protect the places we need if we’re going to have any impact of consequence on the climate and nature crises. We recognize the leadership and vision of Tribal governments and Indigenous non-profit organizations to restore justice.The fight for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante showed us that millions of Americans will stand up for protecting the places we need for the cultural continuity for sovereign tribal nations, their rich ecological and wildlife values, and their ability to improve public health and local economies. Whether through Presidential use of the Antiquities Act, Congressional legislation or regulatory action, with your continued support the Conservation Lands Foundation and our Friends Grassroots Network will achieve this future within the timeline that matters. When the right thing is done, we all win and it feels good to stand beside all of you conservation champions!

On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order to promote and protect the environment, and conserve our national treasures and monuments, places that secure our national memory. All agency heads are required to review agency decisions by the Trump Administration – from Inauguration Day, 2017 until Inauguration Day, 2021. In its final days in power, the Trump Administration accelerated approval of a controversial four-lane highway through the heart of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area in southwestern Utah. After years of undermining environmental protections and selling public land to the highest bidder, it was just one more action by a lame duck administration to undermine protected lands and critical habitat. Red Cliffs National Conservation Area was established by Congress through the Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009 to safeguard iconic landscapes, recreation opportunities, and species such as the Mojave desert tortoise, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Now, barely a decade later, the Bureau of Land Management and Utah Department of Transportation want to pave over that protected land. This approval is not only devastating to the Red Cliffs NCA and the species who depend on this important habitat, but it also sets a dangerous and troubling precedent: that federal public lands set aside for conservation purposes can be destroyed on a whim. The Secretary of the Interior has the opportunity and the obligation to recapture and reconsider this disastrous Trump Administration decision to permit the Northern Corridor Highway’s construction through protected land. Shared enjoyment of public lands is a tradition in the United States and a legacy to pass on to our children. We will not stand by and watch while protected land is paved over in Red Cliffs or anywhere else. 

St. George, UT – Today, the Trump Administration’s Bureau of Land Management issued a Record of Decision permitting construction of the Northern Corridor Highway, a controversial four-lane highway through the protected Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwest Utah. The US Fish and Wildlife Service also issued an Incidental Take Permit, acknowledging that desert tortoise will be harmed if the highway project is developed. Desert tortoises are listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. These decisions are the latest attempts by the Trump Administration to violate long-standing protections for public lands and wildlife. Local and federal stakeholders agreed 25 years ago that Red Cliffs NCA would be permanently protected as a wildlife reserve in exchange for allowing development on 300,000 acres of land outside the protected area. A highway through Red Cliffs violates the NCA’s Congressionally-mandated purpose: to protect recreation opportunities, habitat for sensitive and vulnerable wildlife, and cultural resources. Conserve Southwest Utah (CSU) has led local and national efforts to protect Red Cliffs from the highway, and to develop transportation alternatives. In December 2020 CSU and the Red Cliffs Conservation Coalition issued a 114-page protest of the Bureau of Land Management’s Final Environmental Impact Statement for the highway. The protest asserts that building the highway through Red Cliffs NCA violates several federal laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. “This decision by the Trump Administration was fully expected, and Conserve Southwest Utah and coalition partners have long been prepared for next steps,” said Tom Butine, President of CSU’s Board of Directors. “Not only does building a highway in Red Cliffs NCA break major federal laws, but there are viable and affordable transportation alternatives outside of Red Cliffs that the Bureau’s own analyses have identified.”  “Yet the agency continues to stand behind the option that’s bad for local residents and wildlife,” continued Tom Butine. “The Trump Administration and County officials have rushed this process forward and ignored significant public opposition every step of the way. Now it's our turn - we will do everything we can to stop this highway from destroying this special place that is vital to our quality of life and an important draw for our local economy.” The Bureau of Land Management’s analysis showed alternatives outside of Red Cliffs NCA do a better job of relieving traffic congestion and protecting wildlife, scenic beauty, and local access to trails. One of them, named the Red Hills Parkway Expressway, would allow cars to travel from east to west across northern St. George, connecting Red Hills Parkway to I-15, dodging trouble spots, improving traffic flow on existing roads. CSU argues that alternative routes are a better use of taxpayer money because protecting Red Cliffs preserves this economic engine for the county. “This is the beginning, not the end, of the fight to protect the world class recreation, open space and Mojave desert tortoise habitat provided by the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area,” said Todd C. Tucci, senior attorney for Advocates for the West, which is representing the Red Cliffs Conservation Coalition. “We look forward to convincing President-Elect Biden—and a court, if needed—that Secretary’s Bernhardt’s plan to punch a 4-lane highway through this desert paradise will not protect, restore and enhance these irreplaceable recreation and conservation values.” In addition to issuing a protest, CSU has also requested the Bureau fulfill its duty to adequately assess the impact of last year's wildfires , address the illegal use of the Land and Water Conservation Fund , and conduct a proper cost-benefit analysis. None of these requests have been addressed. “Red Cliffs NCA was established in 2009 to safeguard iconic landscapes, recreation opportunities, and species such as Washington County’s iconic Mojave desert tortoise, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act,” said Sarah Thomas, CSU’s Public Lands Program Director. “This decision will damage popular hiking, biking and equestrian trails, cultural resources including a beautiful petroglyph panel, and critical habitat for 20 species of sensitive and threatened wildlife including the desert tortoise.” See below for additional statements opposing this effort.

Yesterday, Conserve Southwest Utah and a coalition of 14 organizations formally filed a protest of the Bureau of Land Management’s recommendation for a four-lane highway through Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. The Conservation Lands Foundation has partnered with Conserve Southwest Utah throughout the process and is part of the coalition filing the protest. The Bureau of Land Management’s final environmental study, released last month, recommends that the Northern Corridor Highway cut through these protected public lands. Red Cliffs is sensitive, scenic, and protected habitat in southwestern Utah. A highway through this beloved region would negatively impact the public’s experience on these lands, threaten cultural sites, and set a dangerous precedent for National Conservation Lands elsewhere in Utah and throughout the country. The highway also violates the purpose of our National Conservation Lands, which are to be conserved, protected, and enhanced for present and future generations. Our protest reflects the fact that the 300+ issues we’ve submitted to the Bureau of Land Management have not been adequately addressed. We’ve requested the agency assess the impact of the recent wildfires , address the illegal use of the Land and Water Conservation Fund , and correct the alternatives cost estimates - which have gone unanswered. Conserve Southwest Utah maintains support for the alternative transportation routes outside Red Cliffs. Unlike the Northern Corridor Highway, these routes would not destroy threatened wildlife, scenic beauty and access to trails in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. Sarah Thomas, our Director of Southwest Utah’s Public Lands Program, said it best in a recent press statement: “Transportation alternatives located outside of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area were studied and proven more effective than the Northern Corridor Highway in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This analysis, in addition to the thousands of public comment letters supporting transportation alternatives outside Red Cliffs, should have convinced the Bureau of Land Management to protect this sanctuary for the future. We’re disappointed that the agency would ignore scientific experts, recreationists, homeowners and thousands of local residents who love the Red Cliffs NCA, in favour of a 4-lane highway that has failed approval six times in the past because it’s wrong for Red Cliffs and our community, and sets a dangerous precedent for our country.” We will continue to do everything in our power to protect these special public lands. For the latest updates on this project, and to help us save Red Cliffs, visit our website.