Utah lawmakers appear to be poised for a battle with the federal government over control over what is - at least for now - federal lands. Time will tell if this proves to be a fruitless endeavor or if it will change the political landscape over the literal landscape.
The bill, passed during the last legislative session, was sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan. This week, Ivory urged people in attendance at a Washington County Republican Women meeting to support the measure. He asserts that by tapping the natural resources available on those public lands, it would put Utah on a surer economic path.
The legal argument has several facets, but one that actually may pass constitutional muster is that the federal government never lived up to parts of its responsibility that granted Utah statehood late in the 19th century. In other words, as part of the deal to join the union, the state was supposed to receive certain parcels of land that now are public lands. The Spectrum
