Issue Position: Federal Lands of Utah

Issue Position

Utah's greatest asset is 'its' Federal Lands. Federal Lands 'belong' to the entire Nation.

The National Park Service does a great job of managing National Parks, Monuments, and other properties. The extensive national park and monument presence in Utah fosters:

tourism;

Federal payments to the state and regions;

clean air, water, and vistas; and

sustainable economic opportunities.

Utah's Congressional District 2 includes:
Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Capitol Reef National Park, and the East half of

Canyonlands National Park.

It also includes several National Monuments:

Cedar Breaks

Grand Staircase-Escalante.

District 2 is also a beneficiary of visitors to Great Basin National Park in Nevada (via Delta), which includes Lehman Caves; Pipe Springs National Monument in Arizona (via Kanab and Hurricane); and the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park (via Kanab).

Federal lands are managed by the US Dept. of the Interior, under the following agencies:

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

National Park Service (NPS)

US Fish and Wildlife Service

Bureau of Reclamation

US Department of Agriculture (Forest Service).

The BLM generally does a very good job of managing those Federal lands under its purview -- about 1/8 of the area of the United States. Its mission is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

The land now called Utah was originally the property of Mexico. In 1848 that land was ceded to the US. Further, in 1896 when Utah was admitted to the Union, it relinquished all claim to Federal Lands. The Homestead Act of 1862 provided a means to transfer small portions of Federal land to homesteaders. In 1976 the US Congress reaffirmed, via the FLPMA (Federal Land Policy Management Act), the need for and importance of Federal lands as a national resource, for the benefit of all present and future Americans. In 2000 the National Land Conservation System (NCLS) was established, emphasizing the conserving of public lands.

Utah receives considerable Federal payments related to the Federal lands within state boundaries:

Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) -- about $36 M/year to Utah - and Rural Schools Fund
Some of the PILT funds are derived from grazing and logging fees,

mineral and fuel lease fees, and royalties.

The Federal lands are used by tour guides, outfitters, schools, outdoor therapy groups, artists, hikers, riders, and many others for recreation, research, and study. This is generally considered part of the overall 'tourism' economy. In addition the Federal Land management offices of all the agencies involved provide a significant payroll in the local regions. Park rangers and most other employees are local residents, participating in local economies. One example -- Bryce Canyon -- with 1.3 Million visitors/year - provides of the order of $100 Million/year in economic input to the local regions.

The Utah State Government is currently on a crusade to force the assignment of most Federal Lands to the ownership and jurisdiction of the State. The argument is that we in Utah are best informed and equipped to manage 'our' lands. This argument, of course, ignores the fact that these are not Utah's lands, but rather the lands of all US citizens and residents. There is great concern that the State, if it indeed was given full jurisdiction, would 'manage' the lands for relatively immediate income to the state, via outright sales, leases, and mineral resource licensing, which would degrade the lands and make them less suitable for future generations.

It's been argued that the Utah State Government tends to use the Federal Lands question as a scapegoat or excuse for not dealing with its existing lands and financial resources more effectively and sustainably. For example, a recent Salt Lake Tribune editorial:

"…rebels without a clue…it's not going to happen…[thus] Utah politicians can continue to blame many of their own failures, particularly their inability to structure a tax code that adequately supports public and higher education, on the fact that such a large portion of the state's lands pay no taxes."

The State should much more effectively 'advertise' its public lands. An advertising campaign along the lines of This Land IS YOUR Land -- come visit -- especially targeted to Europe and parts of Asia and Australia - would result in even more visitors, providing even more Federal employees and greater economic stimulus

Critics often argue that tourism-based jobs are low-paying and seasonal, but that's because we do little to change the situation. If there is very high demand for tourism-based services, then those business can indeed obtain greater revenues and pay higher salaries. We don't need to only pay the 'minimum' wage. And there are different types of tourism -- there is scientific tourism (where visitors pay to participate in research projects, 'digs', special tours, etc.), eco-tourism (think Costa Rica!), and special education tours and activities.

Federal lands are not a burden -- they are a clean, sustainable, dynamic resource.

I endorse keeping Federal Lands Federal. I further endorse and will work to minimize bureaucracy -- at the Federal, State, and regional levels -- to facilitate more effective, sustainable, and appropriate 'use' of all lands. I will also endorse the development of transportation plans and systems to facilitate the visits to National Parks, Monuments, and other 'popular' lands and sites.

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