Public land swaps are common in this country and hundreds of acres of land might be exchanged in any given year. As part of our mission to preserve Utah’s public lands for all to enjoy and use, we at Utah Public Lands Alliance keep an eye on ongoing land swaps that might restrict our use of these public lands.

The Land Exchange Program

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) conducts land swaps with other landowners in order to acquire important or threatened lands while disposing of lands that have become difficult or impossible to manage. This allows BLM to trade off parcels of private or public land, to smooth out ownership of land in the country and to improve access to public land. The agency is authorized to conduct land exchanges under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976. Furthermore, Congress sometimes enacts legislation that governs or authorizes specific land swaps.

FLPMA outlines how land exchanges are to happen. Some of the stipulations include:

• Land exchanges must be in the public interest.
• The nonfederal and federal lands to be swapped must be in the same state.
• The value of the lands swapped are to be equal – sometimes payments may be made under strict and specific terms to equalize the value.

Some land exchanges involve single parcels of land while others have involved the consolidation of multiple parcels involving one or more swaps over time.

Does the Public Really Benefit?

Lands that are acquired by BLM through exchange become public lands and are managed under existing authorities.

While land swaps can offer local communities better access to public land or help in preserving areas of historic, natural or recreational significance, these exchanges are not always benign. There have been instances where land swaps have benefitted private interests such as mining conglomerates, timber companies and developers who then traded used-up tracts for pristine swathes of land. This compounded by under-appraisal of public lands and overvaluing of private lands means that the swaps sometimes yield dubious benefits to the public.

Additionally, the complexity and obscurity of land swaps mean that the public often remains in the dark, hence largely unaware about the entire process.

Support Our Work To Preserve Utah’s Lands

Given the importance of our public lands, the UPLA works to expand public knowledge of the land swap program and encourages citizens to become more involved in his crucial issue. Through our projects, we strive to make a difference in Utah land use and we won’t hesitate to speak out when our public lands are threatened.

You too can get involved with UPLA through one of our membership options, subscribing to our newsletter or sharing our mission and work with others. We also hold or assist in events to encourage people to enjoy this beautiful land we have.

It would be tragic if the public lost some of the most valuable lands we have left. That’s why we encourage all Utahns and Americans to join us in our cause to preserve and keep Utah’s public lands for public use.

Over 70% of Utah land is public and our mission here at Utah Public Lands Alliance is to preserve these lands for public use. Utah’s public land is put to a variety of uses including solar and wind farms, gas wells, grazing, wildlife habitats, and recreation. Each year, hundreds of tourists and visitors come from all over to take part in different recreation activities on our public lands – including ohv travel, overlanding, hiking, cycling, canyoneering, equestrian, fishing, and boating.

In order to carry out our mission and help make a difference in Utah land use, we rely on assistance from a team of volunteers. It would have been impossible to accomplish all our various projects without the support and commitment of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers over the years. Additionally, without volunteers, the UPLA would not have achieved the level of influence and presence we’ve had both locally and nationally.

We welcome new volunteers all the time and we greatly value the ideas, expertise, time and commitment you bring.

Some Of The Ways Utah Volunteers Help Us

Volunteering with the UPLA is an opportunity to develop new skills, learn more about Utah’s public lands and their use as well as make new friends.

By volunteering with us, you’ll be helping us reach more people to raise awareness of the importance of our precious public lands and ensuring they remain in public hands for years to come.  There is something for everybody whether you want to spend time helping organize some of our events or helping out with one of our projects.

Some of the tasks our volunteers have helped with include:

• Creating approved new trails or maintaining existing trails, including adding signs.
• Keeping an ear out for news that affects our public lands and bringing it to our attention.
• Helping at events. During events such as the Winter 4×4 Jamboree, our volunteers help with search and rescue, registration, recovery, clean up and even act as trail leaders.
• Lobbying – Keeping everyone updated on legislation that might restrict our use of public lands and chatting to government or local authority officials and representatives to lobby support for our mission and campaigns.

Other Ways To Get Involved With UPLA

Other than subscribing to our newsletter, spreading word about what we do on social media and volunteering, you can also help the UPLA by donating.

We have several membership subscriptions available, each with different donation amounts so you can choose the one you’re most comfortable with. For instance, a small donation of $10 per year would get you an individual UPLA membership with access to GPS tracks and reports to help you enjoy the best trails in Utah.

A donation of $50 or $100 annually will get you Organizational or Corporate Membership, respectively, while a donation of $500 will give you Lifetime UPLA Membership.

Every little donation or time spent volunteering counts and is appreciated. We welcome you to volunteer or donate and help us carry on with our work.

The Natural Resources Management Act was passed by the Senate the morning of February 12, 2019.

It’s not too late to stop it in the House, and we encourage motorized and mechanized (bicycle) users to contact their representatives to say they oppose restricting access around the San Rafael Swell.

The main reason Emery County Commissioners and Governor Herbert support the bill is it consolidates over 64,000 acres of School Institutional Trust Land Administration (SITLA) property that is currently spread out across Emery County. Developing the consolidated land could generate at least $50 million. Such consolidation has been achieved many other times without having to designate 10 acres of wilderness for every 1 acre of SITLA land, which is what happened here.

We feel that the Governor’s and Commissioners’ support of the bill is very short sighted, because putting over 642,000 acres around the San Rafael Swell into Wilderness designation will close 73 miles of county Class D primitive roads plus other motorized trails. The loss of future OHV revenue from these 642,000 acres dwarfs the one-time revenue of $50 million from consolidating those other 64,000 acres. Decision makers likely undervalued the 642,000 acres and 73 miles because they didn’t consider the OHV revenue potential.

The San Rafael Swell is a beautiful area. The land is rugged and vast, with historic travel routes winding through magnificent mesas. For many years, it has been enjoyed by families traveling by horse, 4x4s, ATVs, bikes, and foot. Travel in the San Rafael Swell is currently restricted to “Designated Routes Only” so it is already legally protected. Wilderness is restricted to “Non-mechanized Use Only” and thus limits access to only elite hikers.

For a more detailed analysis of the bill, go to www.SageRidersMC.com/land-use-issues.html.

On February 11th, 2019, Senator Mike Lee wrote an article for the Deseret News titled “This bill is not the right move for Utah lands.” Here are a few key points Senator Lee Makes in that article:

The bill fails to reform federal land acquisition programs, and reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) which has not been implemented consistent with the original intention of the fund.

The bill adds new restrictions on land already under federal control and protection.

The bill creates another 1.3 million acres of Wilderness in the West, over half [642,000 acres] in Utah.

Wilderness designation limits far more activities than required to actually protect the land.

Wilderness designation prohibits almost all activity, including all commercial activity, all infrastructure development, and any travel by car or bicycle.

This bill does nothing to address the imminent threat to Utah from unilateral executive land grabs through the Antiquities Act. Other western states have this protection. All that would have been required to provide Utah the same protection would be adding Utah to the list of protected States.

Please consider joining the Utah Public Lands Alliance. You can show your support for keeping public lands open by joining UPLA. UPLA will continue updating status of this bill here online.

Remember, “United We Stand!”

Public lands are a shared American inheritance and no one understands this better than the Utah Public Lands Alliance. As an organization whose mission is to preserve Utah’s public lands for public use, we strive to create awareness on the importance of our public land. We believe that public lands are a priceless heritage and should be open to all Americans for sustainable use and enjoyment.

There are several reasons why public land in Utah should be preserved and protected. Here are some of them:

1. Countless adventure opportunities.

Utah’s public lands are the perfect place for any number of outdoor recreational pursuits. You can camp out under the stars, go off-roading in Sand Mountain OHV Area in St. George Utah & classic trails in Moab, backpack in Bears Ears National Monument, paddle in the San Juan River or hike up the Cedar Mesa- all without leaving the state. With many national parks and monuments, climbing areas and miles of trails, Utah gives you the opportunity to get active amidst spectacular surroundings.

2. The spectacular landscapes provide moments of Zen.

Our public lands are some of the most unique in the country. Whether you want to climb to the top of Fisher Tower or just stop at a scenic outlook, the landscape is sure to blow you away. The towering red rock formations, arches and hoodoos, winding sandstone canyons, colorful mesas, and desert rivers will leave you stunned. This is the perfect environment to come to when you want to get away from the hassles of your life to just relax and unwind.

3. They allow us to spot wildlife in their natural habitats.

The land around us is teeming with wildlife-you only need to know where to look. The desert lowlands and mountain ranges are crucial habitats for mule deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, cougars, and raptors. Some of these animals can’t be spotted anywhere else.

4. They are a link to our history and cultural heritage.

Some of the public lands in Utah are cultural heritage sites e.g. the Bears Ears are sacred to the Native Americans and you can see several well-preserved petroglyphs there. You can also visit lots of other sites- including dinosaur trails- that give us a glimpse into the past. These sites help enlighten both kids and adults on the wonders of history and form the foundation for archaeology and paleontology.

5. For the economic benefits.

Utah’s public lands attract tourists, sportsmen and women, investors and entrepreneurs. Thanks to the recreational facilities, we have a vibrant outdoor recreation economy that boosts local towns and cities. These and the energy development projects happening in the state help to create hundreds of jobs while powering the economy.

Join Us Today

We believe that public lands should be left in the hands of the public and we work on different projects to ensure that the land remains accessible to all. We would love it if you would join and help us either through becoming a member, subscribing to our newsletter or following us on social media.

Our main mission here at the Utah Public Lands Alliance is to preserve Utah’s public lands for public use. We do this in through cooperation not only with the public and landowners but also several regulatory agencies chief among them the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The BLM is one of the nine bureaus within the United States Department of the Interior and its mission is to sustain the health diversity and productivity of public lands in the US for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. We work well together since we have a common mission.

Here are other interesting facts you should know about the BLM:

1. It has deep roots.

Although the BLM was established about 73 years ago in 1946, its roots go way back to just years after US independence. It started out as the General Land Office in 1812 which helped encourage homesteading and westward migration. President S. Truman later merged the GLO and US Grazing Service to create what we now know as the BLM.

2. It’s a small agency with a big mission.

The BLM oversees about 245 million surface acres of public lands for the American people and preserves it for multiple uses e.g. recreation and natural resource development. That means managing about 12% of the US landmass!

3. Thanks to the BLM, we can engage in all sorts of awesome recreational activities.

The public lands under BLM management are perfect for a variety of recreational activities from tame ones like hiking and fishing to adrenaline-charged ones like off-roading, canyoneering, hang-gliding or white-water rafting.

4. BLM’s oil and gas programs boost the economy.

BLM managed land doesn’t lie idle. The oil and gas development on some of these lands supports more than 150,000 jobs in the country and injects more than $40 billion into the economy. Furthermore, the BLM also manages oil and gas operations on behalf of individual mineral owners and indigenous tribes in some states.

5. Public lands power our homes and businesses

Other than oil and gas development, some of the land under BLM management is used for energy production using coal, geothermal, wind, solar energy, etc. to generate electricity. The electricity is then transmitted and used to power businesses, homes and the American infrastructure.

6. Their grazing programs help maintain healthy rangelands.

Additionally, the BLM manages livestock grazing on millions of acres of public lands, helping to maintain healthy open spaces and sustain livestock farming.

Support Our Mission To Protect Public Lands

We always have room for new members and volunteers who want to get involved in our work and are ready to help us with our projects.

You too can play your part by becoming a member of the UPLA, subscribing to our newsletter to keep abreast of the latest happenings, spreading word of our work and respecting the land around us and all those who use it.

Sen. Mike Lee: This bill is not the right move for Utah lands
By Mike Lee

For the Deseret News

Published: February 11, 2019 8:00 am

WASHINGTON — Sometime early this week the Natural Resources Management Act will come to the floor for a vote in the Senate. There is much to like about the bill. And many good people have worked very hard on it.

Unfortunately, after a lengthy review and much negotiation, it has become clear that this is not legislation I can vote for in good conscience. On balance, the bill moves federal lands policy in the wrong direction by failing to reform federal land acquisition programs and adding new restrictions to how Americans are allowed to use land already under federal control.

As mentioned earlier, the bill does have some good policies in it, particularly for Utah. It gives 80 acres of Bureau of Land Management Land to Hyde Park for the construction of an underground water tank and trailhead. It also gives 2.61 acres of Forest Service land to Juab County and helps celebrate the upcoming anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad by redesignating the Golden Spike National Historic Site as the Golden Spike National Historical Park.

At the national level, the bill includes a “sportsman” package that makes it easier for hunters and fisherman to enjoy public lands It also includes the Good Samaritan Search and Recovery Act, which requires the Interior Department and Forest Service to grant expedited access to volunteers helping with search and recovery efforts on federal lands.

These are all good commonsense policies which improve federal land management. Unfortunately, they have been stuffed into the same bill with bad federal land management policies that are particularly harmful to Utah.

First, the legislation permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, an admirably intended program enacted to preserve access to recreation opportunities on public lands. When the program was first passed in 1964 it promised to direct 60 percent of its funds to states and 40 percent to federal purposes. Sadly, this is not how the program has been implemented, just 25 percent of all LWCF have been given to states while 61 percent of the funds have been spent on federal land acquisition.

Worse, the LWCF keeps on buying new federal lands without securing any method for maintaining the land they already own. According to a 2017 Congressional Research Service report, the maintenance backlog on federal land is up to $18.6 billion, including significant backlogs at Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Zions National Parks. When the federal government fails to maintain the lands it owns, ill-kept roads and trails make it harder for citizens to enjoy our national treasures and wildfires become more likely.

Second, the bill creates another 1.3 million acres of wilderness in the West — half of it in Utah. At first blush, wilderness designations sound like a good thing. And sometimes they are. But this highly restrictive designation limits far more activities than is necessary to actually protect the land.

In fact, a wilderness designation prohibits almost all activity, including all commercial activity, all infrastructure development and any travel by car or bicycle. And in a state like Utah, where the federal government owns more than two thirds of the land, these designations have big consequences.

Citizens must go to the federal government, hat in hand, to ask permission for any use of the land at all — whether to dig a well, build a road, bury a cable or do virtually anything on it. So designating more than half a million acres of wilderness — most of which is in Emery County — is a big blow.

Finally, this bill does nothing to address the imminent threat that Utah faces from unilateral executive land grabs through the Antiquities Act. The Antiquities Act was intended to give a president the power to protect specific historic and cultural objects by implementing severe restrictions on select federal lands. According to the original law, these “National Monuments” were supposed to include only the “smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.”

This is not how the law has been used. Instead, presidents have abused the law by designating vast million-acre swaths for monument protection. These vanity projects can hit local communities hard. For example, when President Clinton created the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, many local ranchers lost their right to build fences, secure water resources and maintain roads for their herds. Many families were forced to reduce their herds, sometimes by half. And local church groups were prevented from walking down the very roads their ancestors built during remembrance treks.

Other states have been given protections from these Antiquities Act power grabs. In Wyoming, for example, any monument designation must be approved by Congress. A simple fix to federal law, adding just the words “or Utah” to the Antiquities statute, could solve this problem. But this bill did not contain those words.

No legislation is perfect. Every bill that becomes law in Washington requires compromise. But at some point, too much compromise can lead to a deal doing more harm to your community than good. Regrettably, the Natural Resources Management Act has reached that point. It simply shifts too much power away from Utah communities and to bureaucrats in Washington. And I have heard similar views from many state legislators, county commissioners and rural constituents.

Utah communities should not be forced to accept harmful policies to the state and their communities just so they can make some commonsense land transfers that communities in non-western states are free to do without congressional permission.

With more hard work and cooperation, I know the next lands bill will be different.