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Supreme Court turns back Utah's push to wrest control of public land from the federal government


Published on 2025-01-13 18:00:37 - MSN
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  • The Supreme Court turned back a push by the state of Utah to wrest control of vast areas of public land from the federal government on Monday. The high court refused to let the GOP-controlled state file a lawsuit seeking to bring the land and its resources under state control.

The Supreme Court has declined to hear a case from Utah that sought to reclaim control of approximately 31.2 million acres of public land currently managed by the federal government. This decision upholds the lower court's ruling, maintaining federal oversight of these lands. Utah's argument was based on the assertion that the federal government had not fulfilled its promise to transfer these lands to the state upon its admission to the Union in 1894. The Supreme Court's refusal to take up the case effectively ends Utah's legal challenge, preserving the status quo where the federal government continues to manage vast swathes of land in the West, including national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. This outcome is significant as it reinforces the federal government's authority over public lands, a contentious issue in many Western states where there is a strong push for state control.

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