URGENT ACTION NEEDED TODAY ON HIGHLIGHTED ARTICLES BELOW

Utah’s OHV community has experienced a temporary pause in new travel management planning due to the administrative transitions within the Department of the Interior (BLM) and Department of Agriculture (USFS). However, this pause is only temporary. Travel planning will resume in accordance with the 2017 Settlement Agreement—a process that continues to shape the future of motorized access across our public lands.

This update outlines what lies ahead, what challenges we face, and how every one of us can help protect access for all.

What is the 2017 Settlement Agreement?

The 2017 agreement—between BLM, SUWA, and BlueRibbon Coalition—mandated the reassessment or creation of 11 Travel Management Plans in Utah:

• Completed Plans: Henry Mountains & Fremont Gorge, San Rafael Desert, San Rafael Swell, Labyrinth/Gemini Bridges
• Upcoming or In Progress: Dinosaur North, Book Cliffs, 9 Mile Canyon, Indian Creek, Dolores River, Trail Canyon, Paunsaugunt

To date, over 2,000 miles of motorized routes—many of them offering dispersed camping, scenic access, and historic corridors—have been closed. These closures are being actively contested by groups such as BlueRibbon Coalition, Ride with Respect, Colorado Trail Preservation Alliance, Colorado OHV Coalition, and others. The State of Utah itself is involved in over 70 lawsuits challenging these restrictions, often citing RS 2477 rights-of-way and provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA).

What’s Next?

Although BLM has temporarily marked some planning statuses as “Cancelled,” this is a bureaucratic reset. Work is only paused—pending direction from agency leadership and realignment of priorities. The next plans expected when restart begins will be:

1. Trail Canyon
2. Paunsaugunt
3. Dolores River (which may gain 45 additional miles of designated routes)
4. Dinosaur North

Throughout every NEPA phase, your route documentation—photos, narratives, and GPS logs—will be critical in defending these trails.

Why Are Roads Being Closed?

Travel management closures often stem from:

• Executive Order 11644 (signed in 1972 by President Nixon), which introduced the “minimization criteria” requiring agencies to limit OHV access to reduce environmental impacts. Unfortunately, agencies have adopted overly broad interpretations, often without adequate scientific or user input.
• “Natural reclamation” (a route appears unused due to overgrowth)
• BLM arbitrarily favors some forms of recreation over others.
• “Duplication” (parallel routes being labeled redundant despite offering different terrain, camping, or scenic value)
• Environmental concerns (wildlife habitat expansion or soil/watershed protection—often with minimal data)
• User conflicts, with noise complaints frequently cited but rarely substantiated

Will the Trump Administration Solve These Problems?

BlueRibbon Coalition has identified 26 harmful Executive Orders impacting access—four of which have already been rescinded, including reversals of the Biden Administration’s 30×30 agenda and the BLM Conservation Rule. While we anticipate further support under a Trump-led administration, legal and public pressure must continue from our side.

What Can You Do?

To turn the tide, we need every OHV enthusiast engaged. Here’s how:

1. Start Using TrailSaver to Make Impactful Comments, especially on Kanab Area Trails in Pausaugant and Trail Canyon

Visit www.TrailSaver.com after each ride in Utah to document:

• Obstacles, campsites, viewpoints, historic or geologic features
• Photos and notes that demonstrate the value of these routes

When travel plans reopen, TrailSaver will send your notes and photos back to you—with a guide on how to turn your report into an effective public comment. Need help? Submit your draft to our Comments Coach, Rose, for personalized assistance in making your comment legally substantive.

2. Help Us Change the Law

UPLA will support our work with BlueRibbon Coalition to create permanent protections for our access in Washington DC, which includes mobilizing grassroots support for key legislation, maintaining strong relationships with Congressional Members, and working with a professional lobbyist to expand our reach.

Please urge your lawmakers to support the following SEVEN access-focused bills and Actiions.

• Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act (S.4215): Ensures motorized access for those using OHVs as mobility aids
• Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act (H.R. 3397): Blocks “conservation leasing” that sidelines recreational use
• Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act (H.R. 5499): Requires Congressional and state input for national monument designations
• Historic Roadways Protection Act (H.R. 7635): Protects RS 2477 roads from federal closure
• Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 7983): Streamlines forest management to reduce wildfire-related closures
• Green Tape Elimination Act (H.R. 6395): Speeds up trail and facility work by cutting redundant environmental reviews
• Joint Resolution to Overturn NPS Rule on Glen Canyon-Call your Senator’s today to urge them to Vote Yes on Joint Resolution 30 to overturn the rule prohibiting OHV access in Glen Canyon. THE SENATE IS VOTING ON THIS TOMORROW, MAY 7, SO PLEASE MAKE YOUR CALLS TODAY.

Make calls to your State Senator and Congressional Representative TODAY! Here’s a link to find your members of Congress.

3. Donate to UPLA Now to Allow us to Double your Donation to BlueRibbon Coalition

Join UPLA as a member and make a donation. Between now and May 31, UPLA will not only match your gift to BRC, but for every donation of at least $50 BlueRibbon will also mail you a free copy of Volume 3 of their Lost Trails Guidebook, which features 22 backcountry routes located within 10 proposed or recently designated National Monuments as a Thank You. 

Final Word

Access to public lands isn’t guaranteed—it’s defended. Your voice, your photos, your outreach, and your dollars make a difference. Let’s ensure the roads we ride today remain open tomorrow.

Just a few days after the advocates gave up on the effort to create the Dolores River National Monument, they are now proposing the area be designated as a National Conservation Area. We are strongly opposed to this effort as it is just a stepping stone to even more restrictions. Here is what we are sending to support opposition of this new threat to motorized recreation and dispersed camping.

Final Opposition Article on Dolores NCA

UPLA has completed our final draft of comments and you can find them here. 

If you’re ready to submit your comments, visit this BLM EPlanning site, wait for the Green Participate Now Button to come up and submit your comments. 

Comments Must be Submitted Today Monday December 16, 2024

Thank you for your Support!

Utah Public Lands Alliance

Together We Can Win,

But We Can’t Do It Without You

Comments are due to BLM by December 16, See bottom of article for how to submit your comments

The Environmental Assessment for the Land Exchange that will affect the West side of the Sand Mountain OHV/SMRA has been released, and we need your comments submitted by December 16. See the bottom of this page to see how to submit your comments. In the Scoping period in this plan, 1476 comments were received, but only 30 were deemed “substantive”. It is critical for not only this plan, but all land actions, that we work to make our comments “substantive” to be recognized. Here’s a short tip sheet on substantive comments

UPLA’s Natural Resource Consultant, Rose Winn, will review comments that are emailed to her by December 14 and work to tailor them so they are considered “substantive” Let’s take advantage of this opportunity and turn the tide on submitting comments that are counted.  See the details at the bottom of this article for more on submitting your comments.

What’s the current situation?

The original location of the Exchange would have included transfer of the area 200’ east of the Toilet on Pipeline road all the way to Long Valley (marked by Orange line on map), this would have impacted all of West Rim Trail in addition to other areas. Through the joint efforts by UPLA and Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD), we were able to get BLM to reduce the size of the Exchange by moving the boundary about 500’ west (new boundary marked by Blue Line) This reduced the size of the Exchange by 234 acres. Click Here to See the Map

UPLA and other OHV leaders have been working with WCWCD since 2023 to arrive at agreements to be incorporated into the Exchange. WCWCD has already agreed with a Board Resolution to most of the conditions, and we are currently working with them to add some additional clarity now that the EA has been released. Click here to view the WCWCD Original Resolution (in Bold)  as well as the additional items we are working to add in italics.

There is a lot of pressure to make this Exchange happen. Because there is little question that the Exchange will have a Negative impact for OHV, UPLA’s position is that we although we are generally opposed to the Plan, but with mitigations that will protect most OHV in the area, we would be accepting of the Exchange because of the value of the Reservoir and related recreation around it. We are opposed to the Exchange if the land is not used for this purpose. We are asking that the EA be withdrawn and resubmitted for public comments once they complete significant additional evaluations.

What we need you to comment on:

• How have you used the Exchange Land personally? What trails have you used, for how long, by yourself, families or groups, how often? Have you used the dispersed camping area in Long Valley/Washington Dam, why you use it, how often? Who have you used it with? Have you participated in maintenance or cleanups of the area in the past to retain its natural beauty? If the dispersed camping area in Long Valley is no longer available, where would you go and how would affect your visits? What types of vehicles do you use to recreate in the Exchange area? What other concerns do you have? Some of the Dispersed camping along Pipeline Road will also likely be affected, if you’ve used that, please add your comments about that as well.
• An alternative that was also not explored in the EA was the possibility of adding other areas to the SRMA for Open OHV. If you have specific suggestions for alternatives for either dispersed camping or OHV, please mention those.
• We are concerned that BLM only addressed that the Intended Use of the EA is limited to development of the land as a Reservoir, (Reference Section 3.2 of the EA for this) A Reservoir will provide not only water needs, but also will provide an alternate form of recreation. Although the Reservoir is the most likely use, there is significant chance that they will elect not to build the Reservoir. If that decision is made, we are very concerned that other types of development such as residential or housing will create unwelcome consequences for the area, such as user conflicts between homeowners and OHV. There are ways that this concern can be mitigated, but the fact that they were not evaluated in the EA means resulted in those consequences not being considered. Submission of comments that express concern for Exchange land being used for any other purpose than Recreation, and that the EA is Inadequate because it failed to analyze this important, and not unlikely, future consequence.
• We know that some of the trails on the East side of Long Valley are used extensively by Dirt Bikers frequently. We really need comments from the Dirt Bike/Mountain Bike community.
• Your comments should be specific to your personal interests or experiences and should cite the EA whenever possible. Always include as many of the tips above about your specific concerns, including as many of the details as possible. some of the details above.
• Be sure to mention in your comments if you are a Member of BlueRibbon Coalition or Utah Public Lands Alliance

How do you submit comments?

If you would like to have UPLA’s Natural Resource Consultant review your comments first and work to ensure they are considered substantive, please email them to Rose@UtahPLA.com If you want this review, you should send your comments to her no later than December 14. You will still need to report your comments directly to BLM

Comments should be submitted on the BLM EPlanning Website https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022389/510 It may take a moment when you get to the site, but you should see a Green Participate Now button. If you don’t see it, click on the How to Get Involved link and wait for the Green Participate Now Button to appear on the page.

Other References:

BLM Draft EA with Highlights of Significant Sections (To see the highlights, you’ll need to download the file and open with Adobe Reader)

UPLA Significant Notes on Draft EA

UPLA Comments on EA-Expect to see this on Friday after our next meeting with WCWCD

If you remember back in early 2023, we launched a campaign to take action on a Land Exchange proposed between BLM and the Washington County Water Control District (the District) that would have affected trails on the West Rim section of Sand Mountain and the Washington Dam Staging and Camping area.

OHV community leaders from Desert Roads and Trails Society, BlueRibbon Coalition, Trail Hero, Casey’s Offroad Recovery, Tri State ATV Club, and Utah Public Lands Alliance had already been engaged for several months, but we knew we needed widespread support from the community.

Matt’s Offroad Recovery and Trail Hero launched wide reaching campaigns to inform our community and were supported by countless other groups to encourage the public to show up at a BLM Public Meeting scheduled in just 4 days. You responded to our pleas, and on a rainy Tuesday night, 620 of you showed up at the St George Public Library. The crowd was overflowing, and many of you stood outside in the rain waiting to get in. TV and news crews showed up to cover the meeting and the massive turnout. This outpouring of support set the stage for how serious you were in protecting Sand Mountain, and strongly aided the efforts by leaders to negotiate effectively with not only BLM, but the Washington County Water Conservancy District (the District), City of Washington, and the City of Hurricane.

Early on, we got a commitment from BLM that whatever agreements we made with the District would be incorporated into the EA. After several weeks of negotiation, the District’s Board unanimously voted to adopt a Resolution documenting our agreements.

Last Friday, BLM  issued its Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the Exchange. There were 1116 comments received from the public that clearly demonstrated the concern for protecting that area, with 30 of those comments being deemed substantive. I am glad to report that the EA addressed nearly all of the areas we brought up in our comments. At the end of this article are links to all the referenced documents in case you’d like to review them now.

Yesterday, the same OHV leaders met again with the District to finalize some additional details we would like included in their resolution. The reception to the suggestions was warm, and a followup meeting scheduled in 2 weeks to review their conclusions.

The project is not over, and this is where we need your help again. The Draft EA is merely a document that outlines BLM’s assessment of all the factors surrounding the Exchange. We need the community to once again get engaged in submitting comments on the EA before December 16^th to be considered before BLM releases their Final Decision.

As mentioned earlier, there were 1116 comments submitted during the Scoping period which clearly demonstrated the degree of concern, but only 30 of them were deemed substantive. We may not like the “Substantive” standard, but it is incorporated into Federal Law, CFR Title 40, Part 1503. For this comment period, we want it to be an exercise in submitting comments that meet the requirements of being “Substantive” under the law. Completing this exercise successfully will also pave the way for us to be more effective in future land management actions. Make sure that you are either a UPLA Member or Subscribe to ensure you get all the information on this important subject.

If you would like help getting your comments to be considered “Substantive”, send your comments to StopSandMountain@gmail.com and Rose, our Natural Resource Consultant will try to help you.

If you’re ready to submit your comments  Visit this EPlanning Website

Attachments:

Washington County Water District Resolution and Map
Draft EA with Highlights on Significant Items
Abbreviated EA with Highlighted Section of Draft EA
Summary of Comments from Draft EA Appendix D
Comments Details-Complete Listing

Half of all federal land in Utah is being illegally held by the federal government, which should dispose of it, the state argued in a Supreme Court original jurisdiction complaint filed Tuesday.

If the court takes the case and Utah wins, the legal action has the potential to completely upend the US’s system of public lands, jeopardizing the 245 million acres of land under the control of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management.

Each of the 11 Western states and Alaska have vast amounts of federal land within their borders. Nevada has the most, with 80% of its land under federal ownership. Utah, which is 69% federally-owned, is the only state to ask the Supreme Court to force that land out of federal hands.

“The BLM has increasingly failed to keep these lands accessible and appears to be pursuing a course of active closure and restriction,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) said in a statement.

Utah, which in 2012 passed a state law demanding the federal government give its BLM land to the state, claims that 18.5 million acres of “unappropriated” federal land is being illegally held by the US, and it must be disposed of. The federal government ignored the law.

Perpetual federal retention of unappropriated public lands in Utah is unconstitutional and is depriving the state of collecting taxes on that land, the ability to exercise eminent domain there, the right to develop it, and exercise policing powers, the state claims in its complaint.

“Nothing in the Constitution authorizes the United States to hold vast unreserved swathes of Utah’s territory in perpetuity, over Utah’s express objection, without even so much as a pretense of using those lands in the service of any enumerated power,” the state claims.

About 37.4 million acres of land in Utah is federally-owned, and of that, roughly half is “unappropriated,” or land the US is “simply holding, without reserving it for any designated purpose or is using it to execute any of its enumerated powers,” Utah said in its filing.

Utah said it’s challenging only unappropriated BLM land, not any federal land reserved by Congress or the president as national parks, conservation areas, military reservations, or for other uses.

Article Published by Bobby Magill, Reporter for Bloomberg Law August 20, 2024

Read the Lawsuit Here No.-___-Bill-of-Complaint-and-Brief-in-Support