U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Utah’s Challenge to Federal Land Control

(Salt Lake City, UT) — The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Utah’s challenge to federal control over public lands yesterday, blocking the state’s effort to gain ownership of 18-point-5 million acres of property currently owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Utah argued that federal oversight harmed the state’s sovereignty and sought to have these lands disposed of by the federal government. Environmental groups, such as the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, hailed the decision as a victory for public land protection.