Utah plans to take federal land
StoryDiscussionBy BROCK VERGAKIS

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah lawmakers angry over federal ownership of land in the state approved the use of eminent domain Tuesday to take some of the most valuable parcels.

The goal is to spark a U.S. Supreme Court battle that legislators' own attorneys acknowledge has little chance of success.

But Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and other Republicans say the case is still worth fighting because if the state wins it could reap millions of dollars for state schools each year.

More than 60 percent of Utah is owned by the U.S. government, and policy makers here have long complained that federal ownership hinders their ability to generate tax revenue and adequately fund public schools.

Utah spends less per student than any other state and has the nation's largest class sizes.

"Access to these lands will unlock billions of dollars for our kids," said Sen. Dan Liljenquist, R-Bountiful. "This is our own land that we can't get access to because of an unreasonable federal government."

Initially, the state would target three areas for the use of eminent domain, including the Kaiparowits plateau in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which is home to large coal reserves.

Utah lawmakers contend the federal government should have sold the land by now, and because it hasn't, violated its contract with Utah when it gained statehood.

Eminent domain would also be used on parcels of land where Interior Secretary Ken Salazar scrapped 77 oil and gas leases around national parks and wild areas.

The Utah Senate agreed to spend up to $3 million to defend the law in court over the objections of Democrats who said it's a waste of money when the state is unlikely to win in court.

Sen. Ross Romero, D- Salt Lake City, said there are other ways to fund education than spending millions in court with no guarantee of success. He suggested lawmakers consider starting a lottery to supplement education funding, as many other states already do.

Utah and Hawaii are the only two states without any legalized form of gambling, but the likelihood of that changing in heavily Mormon Utah anytime soon is virtually nonexistent.

Sen. Stephen Urquhart, a St. George Republican who sponsored House Bill 143 in the Senate, said sometimes taking an issue to court is the only way to resolve it.

"This will result in a court action, but we need to fight for what is ours and that is the way the system works," he said. "This isn't going to be revolution in the streets. This is going to be a state asserting its sovereignty."

The Senate approved HB143 21-6, but because it made some minor changes, it still needs one more formal vote in the House before advancing to Republican Gov. Gary Herbert.

Good for them, maybe other states in the west will follow.

When all of that open bountiful land becomes barren and abandoned stripping pits, while company exec's and lawmakers reap the cash, you will be singing a different tune. Come to the hard coal region here in east central Pa and see what that land will look like 50 years after the state decides to open it to "progress". C'mon, you can stay at my house and I can show you around. The only decent thing to happen in the past 25yrs is the chinese have been buying up all of the culm (fine sand-like coal) to burn in their steel furnaces and power plants, which used to be as high as mountains around here. Be careful of what you wish for.

Wyoming had a senator propose the same thing but it went away. I can understand what Woodrow is saying, but I think in this day and age there are enough enviro-whacko watch dogs to keep the states straight. Right now, fed versus state there is a nice balance, but I am sick and tired of the feds holding the cards and calling all the shots. It makes common sense work almost impossible.

There were lots of whacko "old age" greenies back then too, but big money allows business to get done...whackos or not. There is still plenty of land raping going on here and worldwide regardless what the whackos do. Yea, once in awhile they make a small score....but it is insignificant overall. I will be around long enough to remind those that wish for this, when they are crying bloody murder about what lies before their eyes....and maybe in their back yard.

But it's OK to send the nuclear waste from back east to store in Utah, But it's not OK to mine coal. Besides they don't strip mine coal in Utah. They dig a couple of holes in the side of a mountain. Yes, I guess there is a mess where they stack the coal until the ship it off.

There is enough oil in Utah's Tar sands to run the entre United States for 200 years. And sooner or later we are going to have to develop that resource. And yes it needs to be done in a responsible way that preserves nature for our kids to enjoy.

If the federal goverment doesn't want to give up the lands, Maybe they should at least pay property taxes just like every other land owner in the state.

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If the federal goverment doesn't want to give up the lands, Maybe they should at least pay property taxes just like every other land owner in the state.

That would be a pile of cash!

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If the federal goverment doesn't want to give up the lands, Maybe they should at least pay property taxes just like every other land owner in the state.

They do (at least in Idaho) it's under the PILOT program---Payment in leu of taxes

Idaho is like 65% fed land and many counties in idaho are probably well over 80%.

Don't get me wrong, I hunt just as much as the next guy, but i'm leary of this sage brush rebellion stuff.

In Nevada, we have an even higher percentage of federal ownership of lands. However, it sure is nice to be able to hunt and fish those lands and not see "No Trespassing" signs everywhere you go. There is a trade off, believe me. When I go to other states, like Wyoming, and every good piece of hunting and fishing land is posted, I am always glad to return to Nevada. Having grown up in Utah, I appreciated the ability to hunt and fish the federal lands there too. Now, if the state is going to lay claim to the lands and leave them open like the federal government does for the most part, then that would be fine. But the minute they end up in private hands the hunting and fishing is gone. Just my two cents worth.

Use e gun

you hit the nail on the head.

I tend to agree with the fact that Utah's public lands are what make this such a great place to live. If the lands remained public then I would rather have them in the State's hands. But my fear would be that the lands would be sold, at least some of the better lands, to save the budget here or the the kids' education there.

I can see the merit in something like this when the Federal Gov't disallows the use of these lands without the consent of the State's citizenry. Such as the Grand Staircase. The Obama Admin's report of possible new monuments in Utah and other parts of the West are part of why this issue actually passed the Utah Leg.

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Originally posted by Painted Horse:
But it's OK to send the nuclear waste from back east to store in Utah, But it's not OK to mine coal. Besides they don't strip mine coal in Utah. They dig a couple of holes in the side of a mountain. Yes, I guess there is a mess where they stack the coal until the ship it off.

There is enough oil in Utah's Tar sands to run the entre United States for 200 years. And sooner or later we are going to have to develop that resource. And yes it needs to be done in a responsible way that preserves nature for our kids to enjoy.

If the federal goverment doesn't want to give up the lands, Maybe they should at least pay property taxes just like every other land owner in the state.

That is well said Painted Horse. The sovereignty of our states has been bastardized by the fed for far too long, and restriciting our development of our own natural energy resources is a BIG reason we are so dependent on foreign energy sources. I hope they make some headway with their fight!

Kudos to UTAH!!
The Federal Government we do not need..., or want.
A collection of morons, they are. Look no further than the current health care fiasco that will be foisted upon us. Get RID of the Federal Government. WE DO NOT NEED THEM.

The only reason the federal gov. can hold anything over the states is simple THEY PRINT THE MONEY.

This bunch of slipery scum running the White house will do anything to make gun owner and hunters fall in line because we are free people and feel and think that way, turning huge tracks of land into NM ends all hunting on that land and the hope is we fall in line with the rest of the sheep.

Utah if you leave the land open I support you 100%

Painted Horse...Pa had deep mines before there was a Utah. Deep mining is very dangerous for the miners regardless of how safe your operation is, thats why many mine companies used strip mining. Lots of cave-in's, drownings and explosions. Beside, with the deep mines you have scavenging boot-leggers robbing all of the "pillars" of coal, leaving very little support for the land above. You can't tell me shit about mining coal bud. It started here. As for the nuclear waste we send there from the east......just think what will be sent there when much of that land ends up in the hands of land brokers.....the rest of the country's trash thats what. Oil? You want them slicksters operating there? Wise up and be happy you have pristine land.

The sage brush rebellion started in my State, and it is NOTHING more than a land grab by developers and big business. It would close off much of the hunting and fishing in the State, if they are successful. It has NOTHING to do with States Rights and EVERYTHING to do with the rich getting richer at our expense.

quote:

Originally posted by luv2safari:
The sage brush rebellion started in my State, and it is NOTHING more than a land grab by developers and big business. It would close off much of the hunting and fishing in the State, if they are successful. It has NOTHING to do with States Rights and EVERYTHING to do with the rich getting richer at our expense.

The smaller the government entity, the easier thet are to corrupt. In my State at the county level, MINING OWNS the politicians and runs everything. They literally get away with murder.

I'm not any way in love with the Feds; the locals are even worse when big money shows up, however.

The sage brush rebellion started in my State, and it is NOTHING more than a land grab by developers and big business. It would close off much of the hunting and fishing in the State, if they are successful. It has NOTHING to do with States Rights and EVERYTHING to do with the rich getting richer at our expense.

The smaller the government entity, the easier thet are to corrupt. In my State at the county level, MINING OWNS the politicians and runs everything. They literally get away with murder.

I'm not any way in love with the Feds; the locals are even worse when big money shows up, however.

luv2safari thanks for the excellent comments. I agree 100%.