Utah is taking a stand against the federal government’s management of unappropriated land within its borders.
Utah officials filed a lawsuit petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s indefinite control over unappropriated land in the state. BLM-managed lands cannot be developed, and Utah Governor Spencer Cox argues that the BLM hasn’t been keeping the public lands accessible.
By the numbers:
- 34% of Utah is managed by BLM
- That’s 18.5M unappropriated acres
- Over ⅔ of Utah land is controlled by the federal government
Soundbite: “Even if you believe that Washington bureaucrats should manage land from 2,000 miles away, you simply have to admit they have not done a very good job.” — Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz
Conservation concerns: Opponents of the filing include conservation groups. They’re concerned about short-sighted state development, and one even called the move an “election-year stunt.”
Tangent: Utah, alongside Wyoming and a handful of farm groups like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, is also suing the BLM and U.S. Interior Department over the Public Lands Rule. They say the rule skips over requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, and will wreak havoc on ranching by disrupting multiple-use management.
Where this goes: If Utah wins the legal battle, the state would be looking to grab hold of the BLM-managed land for recreation, conservation, and wildlife habitat. The unappropriated lands are slated for livestock grazing, energy production, and more.
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Congress to EPA: What’s Your BEEF with Meat Packers?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering new regulations that take aim at meat and poultry processors.
And some members of Congress have a BEEF with the EPA’s proposals.
The proposed rules: In late January, the EPA released the details of its proposed “Clean Water Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point source category.”
Huh?
Basically, the EPA formally published its proposals to combat wastewater contaminants that come from slaughterhouses.
Okay… that makes more sense.
At the heart of the rules proposal is a concern from environmental groups about nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants that originate from slaughterhouses. In some cases, the wastewater goes directly into waterways. In other cases, the water goes to municipal wastewater treatment facilities.
But not everyone is on board with the EPA’s suggestions…
Congress responds: Last week, two U.S. representatives—Eric Burlison (MO) and Ron Estes (KS)—pushed back against the EPA and introduced the “Banning EPA’s Encroachment of Facilities (BEEF) Act.” If passed and signed by President Biden, the law would prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the rule.
According to the lawmakers, the proposed rules place undue burden on small processors—costs that can be absorbed by larger companies.
Soundbite: “The… proposed regulation isn’t just an attack on family-run small businesses, it’s an attack on rural communities,” said Burlison. “These meat and poultry processors are the lifeblood of our communities. The BEEF Act… lets these hardworking Americans do what they do best, produce safe, affordable food for our families.”
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