November 15, 2024 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUWA Statement on the Final Emery County Land Exchange – 11.15.24
Contacts:
Steve Bloch, Legal Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (801) 428-3981 steve@suwa.org
Grant Stevens, Communications Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA); (319) 427-0260; grant@suwa.org
Salt Lake City, UT – On Wednesday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it had finalized a land exchange with the Utah Trust Lands Administration (TLA) for conservation lands in Emery County, as outlined in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019. Below is a statement from Steve Bloch, SUWA Legal Director, and additional information.
“One of the primary goals of the land exchange between BLM and TLA is to ensure the long-term protection of designated wilderness areas in Emery County,” said Steve Bloch, SUWA Legal Director. “The checkerboard pattern of TLA lands within designated wilderness poses a serious threat of development and inconsistent management within those areas and we are encouraged to see this land exchange process get closer to the finish line. SUWA will review the final environmental documents prepared by BLM to ensure the letter and spirit of the Dingell Act have been followed.”
“We are deeply grateful to Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) for his tireless work to improve the initial bill and ensure that it adequately protected these landscapes for the benefit and enjoyment of all Americans. People from around the nation visit the wild public lands in Emery County and have a real stake in how these lands are managed.”
About the Dingell Act & The Land Exchange
The Dingell Act, which was signed into law on March 12, 2019, established a process for exchanging TLA lands out of designated wilderness and the 217,000-acre San Rafael Swell Recreation Area The legislation designated 663,000 acres of BLM-managed wilderness, within 17 new wilderness areas. In addition, the legislation established the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area, added 63 miles of the Green River to the National Wild and Scenic River System, and designated the John Wesley Powell National Conservation Area and the Jurassic National Monument.
View SUWA’s webpage and story map on the Act.
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The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.
