Vast Swaths of Utah's Red Rock and Great Basin Deserts Proposed for Wilderness Protection Under New Act

A significant piece of legislation, the "America's Red Rock Wilderness Act," is on the table, proposing to designate large portions of federal land across Utah as official wilderness areas. The core idea is to lock in protections for these landscapes, recognized for their ecological, scenic, and cultural importance, including deep Indigenous connections (Sec. 3, Sec. 4). This isn't just about pretty views; the bill aims to preserve these areas within the National Wilderness Preservation System for future generations.

What Land Are We Talking About?

The bill casts a wide net, outlining numerous specific areas across nine distinct regions of Utah to be designated as wilderness (Title I, Sec. 101-109). These include chunks of the Great Basin deserts, areas within and adjacent to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Canyonlands National Park, the San Rafael Swell, the Book Cliffs, and lands surrounding Moab, the Henry Mountains, Glen Canyon, and the San Juan region. Each designated area, from the sprawling Deep Creek Mountains to the intricate Fish and Owl Creek Canyons, comes under the protective umbrella of the Wilderness Act.

Rules of the Wild: How It Would Work

Managing these newly designated wilderness areas falls to the Secretary of the Interior, specifically the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), following the rules of the Wilderness Act (Sec. 202). Here’s a breakdown of the key administrative points:

• Locked Up Land: Once designated, these federal lands are withdrawn from future mining claims, mineral and geothermal leasing, and other forms of land disposal, though existing valid rights are respected (Sec. 210).
• Water Reserved: The Act explicitly reserves federal water rights for these wilderness areas, enough to fulfill the purposes of the designation, with a priority date tied to the Act's passage. The Feds are tasked with protecting these rights, potentially through state court claims (Sec. 204).
• Road Rules: Specific setbacks are defined for wilderness boundaries near roads, varying by road type (paved highway vs. dirt track) and whether wilderness is on one or both sides. Generally, it's 300 feet from major highways down to 30 feet for minor roads (or less if wilderness is on both sides), with flexibility for natural barriers or existing fences (Sec. 205).
• Livestock Grazing: Existing livestock grazing can continue, but it will be subject to "reasonable regulations" set by the Secretary, consistent with the Wilderness Act and specific guidelines from a previous Arizona wilderness bill (Sec. 206).
• State & Tribal Rights: The bill affirms Utah's authority over fish and wildlife management within these areas (Sec. 207) and explicitly states it doesn't alter any rights of federally recognized Indian Tribes or federal obligations to them (Sec. 208).
• School Lands: If state-owned school trust lands fall within a new wilderness boundary, the bill directs the Secretary to offer a land exchange for federal lands of roughly equal value elsewhere (Sec. 203).

The Bottom Line: Preservation Meets Practicalities

This Act represents a major conservation effort, aiming to safeguard iconic Utah landscapes and their cultural heritage. By designating these areas as wilderness, the bill restricts most forms of development, including new roads, structures, and resource extraction, prioritizing natural preservation and quiet recreation. However, it also acknowledges and provides frameworks for existing uses like livestock grazing (under regulation) and respects state wildlife management and Tribal rights. The details on water rights and road setbacks show an attempt to define boundaries and resource needs, though the practical application of "reasonable regulations" for grazing or the process of state water claims could involve complexities down the line.