The Department of Justice responded to the Utah lawsuit seeking control of 18.5 million acres of federal lands, stating that the lawsuit
Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Utah land grab lawsuit "plainly lacks merit," says DOJ
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Monday, November 25, 2024
Canyon Rims Recreation Site, Utah. Bob Wick/BLM ([link removed])
The Department of Justice responded to ([link removed]) the Utah lawsuit seeking control of 18.5 million acres of federal lands, stating that the lawsuit “plainly lacks merit” and is not worthy of being heard by the Supreme Court. A DOJ legal brief ([link removed]) filed with the Supreme Court on Thursday argued that the U.S. Constitution clearly allows the federal government to control the lands. The lawsuit claims that the federal government lacks the authority to permanently retain public lands without a valid and immediate government purpose.
The brief ([link removed]) dismisses Utah’s legal claims for several reasons ([link removed]) , including that the statute of limitations for civil actions against the United States is six years. Additionally, the DOJ argues that Utah should have first filed its complaint with the U.S. district court instead of directly to the Supreme Court. “Utah’s complaint does not satisfy the Court’s usual criteria for entertaining an original case,” according to the DOJ brief.
If the Supreme Court accepts the case and sides with Utah, it could have dire implications for public lands nationwide. The Las Vegas Sun laid out the existential threat the lawsuit poses in an editorial ([link removed]) this weekend, arguing that “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.”
** Quick hits
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Potential for protecting Owyhee Canyonlands takes urgency in final months of Biden administration
OPB ([link removed])
Trump gave Interior nominee one directive for a half-billion acres of US land: ‘Drill’
Associated Press ([link removed]) | Summit Daily ([link removed])
Opinion: The effort to hand over America’s public lands to individual states
Idaho Capital Sun ([link removed])
Trump win raises questions for Dolores monument prospects
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed])
Opinion: The threat to public lands just got much worse. How to ensure your kids have them, too
Idaho Statesman ([link removed])
North Dakota coalition supports Maah Daah Hey National Monument
Associated Press ([link removed]) | KXNET ([link removed]) | Jamestown Sun ([link removed]) | North Dakota Monitor ([link removed]) | Bismarck Tribune ([link removed]) | KFYR ([link removed])
In a push to protect public lands in Colorado, outdoor recreation gets a seat at the table
Inside Climate News ([link removed])
Colorado’s incoming U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd wants to bring the BLM back to Grand Junction—and he’s found an unexpected ally
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” We in the West know what state or private ownership means for forests. Stumps, and lots of them. In contrast, public lands mean trees hundreds of years old, superb wildlife habitat, clear, clean water, and unmatched recreation opportunities. And our heritage.”
—Craig Gehrke, conservation advocate, Idaho Capital Sun ([link removed])
** Picture This
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[link removed]
@usinterior ([link removed])
Where land meets the sea, breathtaking beauty unfolds.
The stunning King Range National Conservation Area extends along 35 miles of California’s north coast, with Douglas fir-covered peaks and rocky shorelines creating a rugged, unforgettable landscape.
Visitors enjoy backpacking, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, mushroom collecting, mountain biking, hunting, surfing, camping and ocean fishing.
Photo by Jesse Pluim
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