National parks and public lands have been crushed over the past five years between an increase in visitation and a more than $25 billion maintenance backlog. On Tuesday, Gov. Spencer Cox called on the federal government to do something about it.
Cox signed his name next to that of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, on a bipartisan letter in support of a wide range of outdoor recreation legislation. The letter was sent by the Western Governors’ Association to Senate leaders. Lujan Grisham is the chair of the WGA, which according to its website represents the 22 westernmost states and territories, and Cox is the vice chair.
The letter encouraged the Senate to approve increases in funding for workers, worker housing, visitor facilities, infrastructure and management planning. It asked legislators to push federal agencies to use technology to reduce overcrowding by spreading visitors to less congested areas. It also called upon lawmakers to work across agencies and with state and local governments to make the borders between various forms of public lands more permeable.
“The West’s world-class outdoor recreation destinations draw increasing numbers of visitors each year,” the governors’ letter said in part. “However, those areas need support, infrastructure, and tools to manage increasing levels of recreation while maintaining these resources for the enjoyment of all, and for future generations.”
Cox’s call for help comes not long after he criticized the federal government for not putting enough resources into its maintenance of public lands. Indeed, the letter comes just a couple weeks after Utah officials, including Cox, filed a lawsuit asserting the state should have priority over the federal government when it comes to managing public lands within the state’s boundaries. In particular, the lawsuit takes aim at land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which accounts for 34% of the state.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.