Red Cliffs Warner Valley Land Exchange: UPLA, BlueRibbon, and Desert Roads and Trails Society File Joint Protest for OHV Access Clarification

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued its official Record of Decision (ROD) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Red Cliffs Warner Valley Land Exchange, documented under DOI-BLM-UT-C030-2023-0008-EA. This long-debated project includes the construction of a new reservoir and water infrastructure intended to meet critical community needs in Washington County, Utah.

From the beginning, Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA), BlueRibbon Coalition, and Desert Roads and Trails Society evaluated the proposal carefully. While recognizing the need for water infrastructure and the benefits it brings, the groups made a strategic decision not to oppose the project outright but instead to work proactively to secure protections for recreation and open access in the area.

Specifically, the groups negotiated and prioritized five key commitments:

1. Preserve open OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) access on top of the ridge
2. Prevent future residential development on the east side of the West Rim Ridge
3. Maintain OHV access from the Washington Dam staging area floor
4. Support building an improved staging area at Washington Dam with amenities such as restrooms
5. Develop alternatives to accommodate dispersed camping displaced by the reservoir footprint

After reviewing the final BLM documents, UPLA, BlueRibbon Coalition, and Desert Roads and Trails Society are filing a joint protest seeking only one clarification: that the BLM explicitly confirms in the Decision Record that the entire West Rim area, above Pipeline Road, will remain designated as open OHV access.

This clarification aligns with the commitments already made by the Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD), which passed a formal resolution on May 3, 2023, stating they will ensure the eastern portion of the federal parcel, not affected by the reservoir’s high-water mark, remains available for open OHV use — even if BLM’s language falls short.

You can reference the official documents and supporting materials on the UPLA website:

• WCWCD Resolution and Attachments
• Environmental Assessment Recreation Section (Pages 56–58)
• Environmental Assessment ROW Easement Section (Pages 68–71)
• Decision Record Pages 3–4

The complete BLM project files can be accessed at the BLM ePlanning website: BLM Red Cliffs Warner Valley Land Exchange.

We encourage all interested readers, OHV users, and public lands advocates to review these documents carefully. If you identify any additional concerns or points you believe should be raised, please email your input directly to President@utahpla.com. Your voice can help ensure that recreation access and public land protections remain at the forefront of this important community project.

Our Press Release Can Be Found Here

By Loren Campbell, President, Utah Public Lands Alliance

What the Maloy-Amodei Amendment Really Does

This bill does not mandate the sale of public land. It simply makes 94 specific parcels—totaling 12,982 acres—available for purchase by local governments at fair market value. Of these, 12,920 acres are in Washington County. That’s just about 2% of the 629,000 acres of BLM-managed land in the county, or 1.5% of all federally managed land in the area.

The requested parcels originate from long-standing local planning documents. Some have been under Recreation and Public Purpose (R&PP) requests for years. This bill provides the mechanism to finally act on these plans through a transparent process involving appraisals and local decision-making.

Empowering Local Control

Utah has consistently called for the transfer of certain federally managed lands to local control—this bill is a direct response to that need. Allowing local governments to acquire these parcels enhances their ability to manage them in ways that benefit residents, whether for infrastructure, parks, utilities, or other public purposes.

Critics have claimed these parcels will be used for “affordable housing.” But in Utah, the amendment includes no specific use restrictions—and only a handful of parcels are even being considered for housing. Each municipality will determine land use based on their community needs, with no federal mandate or blanket development plan.

Preserving Recreation and Scenic Values

We conducted a parcel-by-parcel analysis of all 94 areas, including map reviews and field visits for those requiring closer inspection. Of these, 32 parcels were flagged for deeper review. Working alongside representatives from the Washington County Water Conservancy District, Washington County, Congresswoman Maloy’s office, and recreation advocacy groups—including Utah

Public Lands Alliance, Desert Roads and Trails Society, and the BlueRibbon Coalition—we evaluated each parcel’s potential impact on OHV use, other recreation, and scenic value.

The result? We found no significant adverse impacts to OHV access or outdoor recreation. Many parcels are already encumbered with utility easements or limited-use authorizations. Transferring these lands to local control will improve the ability to make upgrades such as utility extensions, road improvements, or public access enhancements.

A Public Purpose for the People

Every parcel identified in the amendment serves a clear public purpose—whether for water infrastructure, trailheads, civic expansion, or improving public access. By converting these areas from uncertain federal status to accountable local stewardship, this amendment gives communities the tools to responsibly meet growing regional needs.

Conclusion: Rejecting Misinformation, Embracing Opportunity

Unfortunately, much of the media coverage surrounding this bill has relied on emotional appeals rather than facts. Let’s set the record straight: this amendment empowers local governments to purchase select parcels for meaningful public use. It does so with safeguards, local input, and full appraisal transparency.

We stand in full support of Congresswoman Celeste Maloy for her leadership and responsiveness to Utah’s long-standing call for balanced, responsible land management. This amendment is good for Washington County, good for local governance, and good for the people who call this land home.

Click any of the articles below for more information

Final Site Specific Review of BLM Land Transfer

amodei-amendment-NVUT-Land-Sales

UT5_Water_Conservancy_Compressed

UT 3 – Washington County Land Conveyance East Half – April 11 2025

UT 4 – Washington County Land Conveyance West Half – April 9 2025

UT 2 – City of St George Utah Land Conveyance – March 28 2025

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Visit www.UtahPLA.com  or email President@UtahPLA.com to learn more about our Mission

URGENT CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY TO VOTE YES ON JOINT RESOLUTION

This morning, I got the following email from Hanna Larsen, Staff Attorney for Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance asking their followers to oppose the Joint Resolution on Glen Canyon

Glen Canyon Joint Resolution Email from SUWA

SUWA is scared, and when SUWA asks for something, we must overwhelmingly respond. Please Take 5 minutes to call your Senators TODAY and ask that they Vote Yes on Joint Resolution 30 to allow OHV use on Glen Canyon and to prevent any similar rule in the future. The Senate is Voting Tomorrow, May 7, so it is urgent you do it now!

Here’s a link to find your Senator’s phone number

While you’re on the phone, ask them also to support the following six bills.

• 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

Anytime a new Administration takes control of elected office, it generally is accompanied by significant changes in the policies and practices of that Administration. There is little doubt that President Trump is making sweeping changes, but we have only seen a few signals in his plans about regaining access to our public lands, Interior Secretary Nominee Burgum is still awaiting confirmation, but there are many other very important positions that are still awaiting announcement such as Director of the BLM and Chief of the United States Forest Service, In Utah, there will be a new BLM Utah State Director. I believe it is important to lie out the challenges we’ve had with current policies and be sure our leaders are aware of both what has happened and suggestions for changes going forward.

Today, I will be sending the following letter to President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Acting Interior Secretary Walter Cruickshank, with copies to Senator Mike Lee and Senator John Curtis and Governor Spencer Cox. I encourage you to make your voices heard and send similar letters to members of the Administration.

Loren Campbell
President
Utah Public Lands Alliance

Appeal to President Trump Asking for Executive Action and Leadership_Low Res_000059

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