24 Acres of Dixie National Forest Land to Be Transferred to Brian Head Town, Utah, Free of Charge

This bill, officially the Brian Head Town Land Conveyance Act, is pretty straightforward: it’s about swapping federal land for local control. Specifically, it directs the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer approximately 24 acres of land currently sitting inside the Dixie National Forest over to Brian Head Town, Utah. The key detail? The town gets the land for free, and the transfer must happen as soon as the law is enacted (Sec. 2).

The bill defines this land using a map dated April 28, 2025, titled "Forest Service to Brian Head Land Transfer." Once the transfer is complete, the Secretary must officially redraw the boundaries of the Dixie National Forest to exclude this 24-acre parcel (Sec. 2). Essentially, this is an administrative cleanup that pulls a specific piece of land out of federal protection and management and places it squarely under the town’s jurisdiction.

The Town’s New Real Estate Portfolio

So, what can Brian Head Town do with this land? The bill is specific that the town can use it for a public works facility. But here’s where things get interesting: the language also grants permission for "whatever else the Town decides it needs it for" (Sec. 2). That’s a massive amount of flexibility. While a public works facility—like a maintenance yard or administrative building—is a clear benefit for a small town, that broad language means the town could potentially approve commercial development or other projects on the former National Forest land.

Who Feels the Change?

For the residents of Brian Head, this is a clear win. They gain a valuable asset at no cost, which can be used to improve local infrastructure without having to purchase land on the open market. However, for everyone else, this represents a permanent loss of 24 acres of National Forest land. When land is removed from the National Forest system, it loses the environmental and public access protections that come with federal management. While 24 acres might sound small, it chips away at public land that, by definition, belongs to everyone.

The Fine Print on the Transfer

There is one crucial clause that gives the federal government a bit of leverage, though it remains to be seen how it will be used. The Secretary of Agriculture can attach "any rules or conditions they think are necessary" to the deal (Sec. 2). This could mean the Secretary adds conditions requiring certain environmental standards be maintained or limits the type of development allowed. Conversely, if the Secretary chooses to attach minimal conditions, the town’s discretion over the land becomes virtually unlimited. The real-world impact hinges entirely on those conditions, which aren't specified in the bill text itself.