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Opinion: Hey, Utah, Americans love our public lands

Mountain bikers on the popular White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. The trail includes a section of BLM land.
Photo by Dave Marston.
Mountain bikers on the popular White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. The trail includes a section of BLM land.

The Supreme Court recently dismissed an attempt by Utah to take over public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, writes Aaron Weiss. The failed case was the culmination of a 10-year effort by Utah, which squandered nearly $6 million in public-land seizure attempts. Weiss says the puzzling question is why Utah doesn't realize that all of its public lands, beloved by Americans and visitors from around the world, make a whole lot of money: Outdoor recreation generated $9.5 billion in economic output Utah in 2023.