I just read this article on land locked public lands in Montana and it's made me think about the Utah lawsuit again. Looking to share, vent and consider other perspectives.

If you still somehow haven't heard, Utah had launched a lawsuit to reclaim 18.5 million acres of unappropriated federal land. On the surface, it sounds great. Sovereignty, local control, and more access for us. But before we start patting ourselves on the back, let’s look at Montana as a cautionary tale.

Montana has state-controlled lands, but guess what? Nearly 1.5 million acres are totally inaccessible to the public. Ranchers lease these “trust lands,” private landowners block access, and the public is stuck staring at their maps wishing for a way in. What’s stopping Utah from falling into the same trap if we win this case?

Are we seriously going to trade federal restrictions for state mismanagement or privatization? Unless Utah builds clear policies for public access and protection now, we’re just swapping one bureaucracy for another - possibly one more beholden to big money interests. If this turns into land sales to fund state programs (looking at you, underfunded Utah education), goodbye public access and hello exclusive private playgrounds.

We need a plan that guarantees access, sustainability, and public accountability BEFORE we start celebrating. This isn’t about the “average Utahn”. This is about power and money.