Land Conservation

The proposal would flip current motorized use rules on their head, allowing access unless designated otherwise. Recreationists called the change overdue, but conservationists fear a free-for-all.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the rule hampers land and wildfire management. Environmental groups argue that, according to the government's own data, it would actually increase fire risk.

Conservationists argue wilderness study areas are a way to protect land, while some outdoor recreationists argue it locks up land. Public comment on the proposal is open until Friday.

The poll, conducted by the National Parks Conservation Association, comes amid a federal overhaul to conservation that focuses instead on economic considerations like energy.

Utah political leaders claimed the monument designations locked up too much land. Conservation groups argued that land needs to be protected for future generations.

Our hosts discuss U.S. relations with Iran and Cuba, algae blooming in the Reflecting Pool, and how resistance to AI and data centers is reshaping Utah politics.

The state challenged former President Biden's national monument designations, saying they were too big and broad. However, some environmental groups remained confident the designations will hold.

The sale to Utah Division of Wildlife Resources used money from a "rainy day" fund intended for public education. In other news, Apple Valley's aquifer was drained by an agricultural well.

Wildfire prevention is the core of a debate over repealing the decades-old conservation rule. One environmental group argued these efforts are more about profit than fire protection.

The Roadless Rule protects millions of acres of public land. Environmental groups have expressed support for the rule, but federal lawmakers were more divided.