Utah Senator Mike Lee is once again calling for less federal oversight of public lands, arguing that the states should take on a larger role. But this shift would put wildlife and fragile ecosystems at serious risk.

Roughly 68% of Utah’s land is federally managed, home to countless species that depend on protected landscapes to survive. From mountain lions and mule deer to raptors and rare amphibians, these animals rely on intact habitats and stable protections. Weakening federal oversight could mean more drilling, grazing, mining, and development on lands that are critical to biodiversity.

Senator Lee claims the permitting process for land use is too slow and inefficient, and he wants to give more control to states and counties. But history shows that when short-term economic interests drive land use decisions, wildlife is often the first to suffer. Habitat loss, pollution, road expansion, and increased human intrusion follow.

The Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies are not perfect, but they operate under national environmental laws that require at least some level of public input, scientific review, and long-term stewardship. Turning that over to state governments, many of which have weaker protections or conflicting interests, would be a major step backward.

Public lands are not just open spaces on a map. They are home to wild animals, old-growth forests, clean water sources, and sacred Indigenous sites. They belong to all of us — and to future generations. We cannot allow a small group of lawmakers to trade them away in the name of “efficiency.”

We are calling on Congress to reject any legislation that reduces federal protections for public lands. We also urge the public to speak out now, before more land is opened to harmful development.

Sign this petition if you believe wildlife, wild places, and public access must be protected — not deregulated and handed over to political or industrial interests.

 
 Photo: Deseret News