The quixotic efforts of Utah politicians to seize and sell national forests and other public lands poses a dire risk to tourism and visitor spending in the state, according to a new public awareness campaign that launched this week.
The campaign, called “U-turn Utah,” notes that the Utah Office of Tourism is spending millions of dollars on a national television ads that call Utah’s five National Parks and other public lands an American “birthright.” Yet the state’s elected officials are also planning to spend millions of dollars of taxpayer funds in an attempt to seize many of those same lands from federal agencies so they can be sold and privatized.
The U-turn Utah campaign launched on Monday with a six-figure advertising campaign, billboards in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona, and a call to Utah decision-makers to reverse course on their public lands policy.
“The parks and public lands inside of Utah belong to all Americans, whether you live in Nevada, Colorado, Ohio, or Utah — these are your public lands. But Utah politicians have plans to sue the federal government in an irresponsible attempt to take over outdoor spaces that belong to all of us,” explained Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director at the Center for Western Priorities in a statement. “As Americans make their summer vacation plans, we want people across the country to know what Utah politicians have planned for our public lands.”
Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT), leader of what has been coined the congressional “Anti-Parks Caucus,” has been a vocal advocate for disposing of American public lands. He argues that national forests, national monuments, wildlife refuges, and other national public lands should be transferred to state and local interests. Critics argue that between fighting forest fires, maintaining infrastructure, and cleaning up abandoned mines, states won’t have the funds to manage these lands and will therefore have to auction them off.
Tea Party Wave Washes Up ‘Anti-Parks Caucus’ In CongressClimate CREDIT: AP Photo/Sandy Huffaker, File A group of 20 senators and representatives has formed a de facto “anti…thinkprogress.orgExperts say this inevitable privatization would result in reduced access for hunting, fishing and other recreation on national forests, wildlife refuges and other public lands.
“To manage those lands at current service levels the state would need to employ more than 2,100 new land managers and spend an additional $280 million,” said Brad Petersen, former director of Utah’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, at the launch of the U-Turn Utah campaign. “I ask the legislature, many of whom are my friends, to study the facts, eliminate the emotion, and focus on investing our tax contributions into initiatives that will improve Utah.”
In March, the Utah state legislature — with the support of Governor Gary Herbert — set aside $14 million of taxpayer money to establish a legal fund to sue the federal government for control of nationally-owned public lands in the state. Legal experts say the lawsuit has no chance of succeeding, while leaders in the outdoor industry worry about the lawsuit’s impacts on their bottom lines.
“The outdoor industry depends on public lands to thrive. Instead of going down a dangerous road that could close access to mountain biking and other activities, Utah leaders should do everything possible to keep our public lands open and functioning,” said Ashley Korenblat, owner of Western Spirit Cycling.
The outdoor recreation industry in Utah generates an estimated $12 billion of consumer spending in the state each year and $856 million in annual state and local tax revenue.
If Utah’s policymakers don’t reverse course on their public lands policy, the Center for Western Priorities and outdoor recreation businesses are asking vacationers to consider spending their tourism dollars in states that prioritize public lands protection.
Colorado is one state that stands in contrast. Last week, Governor Hickenlooper signed a bill creating the nation’s first “Public Lands Day” to honor the state’s 24 million acres of national forests, parks, and other public lands.
The newly launched U-Turn Utah website outlines “detours” where outdoor enthusiasts can seek adventure and scenery in nearby states.
Nicole Gentile is the Deputy Director of the Public Lands Project at the Center for American Progress. You can follow her on Twitter at @nicolegentile.