From BHA:
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) – North America’s premiere advocacy group that serves as the voice for our nation’s wild public lands, waters and wildlife – vehemently opposes the recent legal maneuver by the state of Utah aimed at seizing control of 18.5 million acres of federal public lands.
A long-standing grudge against federal public lands – lands intended to be accessible by and for all Americans – has resulted in the Utah state legislature attempting to remove from the public domain one of the crown jewels of North American conservation: our public lands. Utah officials are seeking control of unappropriated Bureau of Land Management territory, a profound misstep in the ideology of public land management and stewardship of natural resources in Utah. The proposed transfer of federal lands to state control also raises grave concerns about the potential for increased commercial exploitation, increased costs to state budgets, diminished conservation efforts, and restricted public access. BHA stands firmly in opposition to this legal maneuver, which directly attacks the shared heritage of public lands and waters that provide hunting and angling opportunities for sportsmen and women.
“Americans who love to hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors rely on public lands across this country as a place where they can pursue their passions and pass down our outdoor heritage from generation to generation,” said BHA president & CEO Patrick Berry. “An attempted land grab by the Utah legislature of assets owned by all Americans is a shameful, short-sighted way to make political points. Public lands are the national treasure that support our way of life, conserve wildlife, and provide recreational opportunities for everyone. Allowing state control would risk the integrity of these lands, ultimately leading towards privatization and exclusion for all but those with the deepest pockets.”
This attack follows in the footsteps of Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) who withdrew legislation in 2017 following an outpouring from BHA’s grassroots advocates and sportsmen and women nationwide that would have divested public lands from the American public. BHA has long stood in staunch opposition to legislators and lobbyists who have tried to wrest control of these lands from federal hands; that’s why the Utah chapter of BHA is, once again, pushing back against this ill-advised proposal.
“While our state government claims it is committed to keeping public lands in public hands, the only guarantee that comes from such a transfer is the removal of these existing federal protections and increased exposure to privatization,” said Caitlin Curry, vice chair for the Utah chapter of BHA.
BHA stands firmly in defense of the current federal land management system, which for decades has proven to be effective in conserving natural landscapes under its multiple use mandate. BHA members and supporters urge Utah’s leaders to reconsider this approach and to work collaboratively with federal agencies to address any concerns through established channels that don’t compromise the conservation value of public lands and the public’s right to recreate in the state of Utah.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife.
