U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Utah's Bid for Control of 18.5 Million Acres of Federal Land

Jan 13, 2025, 03:52 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a lawsuit filed by the GOP-controlled state of Utah seeking control over approximately 18.5 million acres of public lands currently managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management. The lawsuit, initiated in August, argued that federal ownership of these lands was unconstitutional and sought to transfer management to the state. In Utah, where federal agencies control almost 70% of the land, the state argued for local control to be more responsive and to access revenue from taxes and development projects. The Supreme Court's decision not to take up the case was announced without explanation, as is customary. Utah's Republican leadership expressed disappointment but indicated that the state would continue to challenge federal land management decisions. Opponents of the lawsuit, including environmental groups, celebrated the decision, emphasizing the importance of federal control over public lands for the benefit of all Americans.