Last year, after settling with environmental groups, the National Park Service agreed to a rule restricting motorized use on Lake Powell’s shorelines and prohibiting off-road vehicle use in part of the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The green groups argued that the vehicles polluted water, hastened erosion, disturbed wildlife and conflicted with other types of recreation on the land.
Today, Utah Republicans celebrated after the U.S. Senate passed a resolution overturning that rule. The House of Representatives passed the resolution last week, and it now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for his approval.
“Restoring off-road vehicles in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a step to ensure that public lands remain accessible for the people, not dictated by Washington bureaucrats,” said Sen. John Curtis in a statement. “Utahns have responsibly accessed Glen Canyon for decades, and Washington’s one-size-fits-all restrictions threatened not only that access but also the livelihoods and traditions of rural communities.”
The move follows others initiated by the Trump administration to nullify public lands changes made under former President Joe Biden.
Last month, the Trump White House began the process of rolling back a rule that sought to promote conservation on public lands. The Interior Department is also considering removing protections for Utah’s national monuments to facilitate mining and drilling.
Read the full report at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.