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Blog

CategoriesBears Ears

Comment Period Open on National Monument Review

May 12th, 2017 Written by Jen Ujifusa

President Trump has declared war on Utah’s national monuments. Now is the time to act. President Trump’s April 26th Executive Order requires a “review” of national monuments dating back to […]

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CategoriesUncategorized

Good News: Appeals Board Rejects Challenge to Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area Plans

May 4th, 2017 Written by Luke Henry

On April 28th, the Interior Board of Land Appeals issued an order  dismissing an appeal filed by Washington County, the City of St. George, and the Washington County Water Conservancy […]

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CategoriesUncategorized

America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act Reintroduced with Backing from 18 Senators!

May 1st, 2017 Written by Jen Ujifusa

Great news! Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) last week reintroduced America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (S. 948) in the Senate. The bill would permanently protect 9.2 million acres of Utah’s amazing wilderness—places […]

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CategoriesAntiquities Act

Trump Declares War on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante

Apr 26th, 2017 Written by Scott Groene

They’re coming for your national monuments. This morning, President Trump signed an executive order directing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to “review” Bears Ears National Monument within 45 days, and to […]

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CategoriesARRWA

Press Release: Sen. Durbin Reintroduces Redrock Bill to protect Utah’s pristine wilderness

Apr 26th, 2017 Written by suwa

Action comes just as Trump orders a review of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument For immediate release April 26, 2017 Contact: Jen Ujifusa, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, 202.266.0473 […]

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Today, the House of Representatives passed the FY2 Today, the House of Representatives passed the FY25 budget reconciliation package (Budget Bill) known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. On July 1, the Senate passed the Bill by a vote of 51-50 with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. 

In the weeks leading up to today’s vote, House and Senate Republicans from Utah proposed public lands sell-off as part of the Budget Bill; in each case, this provision was removed in the face of national, bipartisan opposition: 

In the House, Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT-2) and Mark Amodei’s (R-NV-2) Amendment would have forced the sell-off of over 11,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managed public land in Utah and at least 500,000 acres in Nevada. It was stripped on May 21. 

In the Senate, Senator and Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee Mike Lee (R-UT) attempted to include language that would have mandated the sell-off of millions of acres of federal lands across 11 Western states, including Utah; his final version focused on over a million acres of BLM land. It was removed on June 24. 

See quote above from SUWA D.C. Director, Travis Hammill.
Just minutes ago, Senate Republicans passed the re Just minutes ago, Senate Republicans passed the reconciliation package known as One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1). The vote was 51-50 with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie, meaning the legislation was approved by the Senate and will be sent back to the House of Representatives. 

In the weeks leading up to today’s vote, Senator and Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee Mike Lee (R-UT) attempted to include language that would have mandated the sell-off of millions of acres of federal lands across 11 states in the West, including Utah; his final version focused on over a million acres of Bureau of Land Management land. Thanks to the bipartisan backlash and fierce opposition from SUWA’s members, partners, and Americans across the country, Sen. Lee was forced to pull his unpopular proposal mere hours before debate began. 

Read our statement at the link in our bio.
Thank you to each and every one of you who reached Thank you to each and every one of you who reached out to your senators—whether it was a phone call, email, postcard, or social media post. This is a moment to celebrate!

Two other important points.
First, while we’re excited that the Public Lands Sell-off has been removed, the Budget Bill is still deeply anti-conservation and anti-public-lands.

Second, though this sell-off attempt has been defeated, we know Senator Lee’s underlying goal remains the same: to force the sale of America’s public lands using any excuse or legislative opportunity he can find.

Read the full update from SUWA Executive Director Scott Braden at the link in our bio.
🎉🎉🎉 Tonight, Senator Lee (R-UT) announced 🎉🎉🎉 Tonight, Senator Lee (R-UT) announced he has withdrawn his plan to sell off public lands as part of the FY25 Budget Reconciliation Bill currently being considered by the Senate. His plan was part of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s bill text and would have required the Bureau of Land Management to offer up more than a million acres of public land across 11 western states (AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, and WY) for sale.

Read our statement on the second slide or at the link in our bio. 🎉🎉🎉
Sen. Lee's reconciliation bill text to sell off mi Sen. Lee's reconciliation bill text to sell off millions of acres of public lands across the West continues to hit roadblocks of his own making. The Senate Parliamentarian, the Senate rule keeper, has once again axed the language on rules grounds. While Sen. Lee continues to try and edit to get something in, trying to set precedent for selling off public lands in Congress, time is running short. 

Sen. Daines, along with other Republican Senators from the West, have vocalized their opposition to any land sales. In addition, 5 House Republicans, led by Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke, have also told Speaker Johnson that they will vote against a reconciliation package that includes land sales. This is enough to prevent the passage of the reconciliation bill.

Sen. Lee has been shown, time and time again over the last 3 weeks, that a vast majority of Americans OPPOSE THE SELL OFF OF PUBLIC LANDS, full stop. Republicans and Democrats alike are representing the interests of their constituents that public lands are not for sale.

Keep up the good work!! Let's keep the pressure on, keep calling & writing your Senators and Congressperson. We have to get over the finish line, but things are looking promising because people like you are reaching out and telling Congress to protect public lands. Thank you for putting the work in! 

#protectwildutah
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Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 486-3161

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