Bureau of Land Management

When paring down hundreds of religious designations, the Pentagon put the church outside the Christianity category. In other news, a new fire near Scipio burned 1,300 acres in a day.

In other news, stage 1 fire restrictions are in effect for parts of southwest Utah. And, Causey Reservoir in Weber County is getting safety upgrades this summer.

Ranching and energy groups were excited for former congressman Steve Pearce, while conservationists were worried he'd sell public lands. In the end, the Senate voted on party lines to approve him.

A new analysis of public federal workforce data shows there are about 5,800 fewer workers at public lands agencies in 2025 compared to 2024 because of layoffs, retirements, and reassignments.

Steve Pearce, a former Republican congressman from New Mexico, will next need to clear a vote in the full Senate in the coming weeks to be confirmed.

One in five Bureau of Land Management employees are veterans. Some worry the bureau's nominee, Steve Pearce, could sell off public land and thus cost veterans their jobs.

Labyrinth Canyon, one of Utah’s most remote and accessible stretches of the Green River, faces a major policy reversal that could reopen more than 100 miles of off-road vehicle routes.

Over the weekend, Sen. Mike Lee withdrew his proposal for the Bureau of Land Management to sell parcels for the highest value.

It would be called the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, according to budget documents from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior. The agency would consolidate the wildland fire programs of the USDA and Interior within the latter.

Recreation-focused staff and budgets at national forests have gone down as demand has gone up. This has been resulting in lengthy delays in responses to applications.