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Congress·In Committee

Congress Proposes Protecting Millions of Acres of Utah Red Rock Canyons as Wilderness

America's Red Rock Wilderness Act

11 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Key Points

  • This bill would turn millions of acres of federal land in Utah into official wilderness areas. This is the highest level of protection for government land, meaning it will stay in its natural state for future generations to enjoy for activities like hiking, camping, and birdwatching.
  • The plan covers famous landscapes like the Grand Staircase-Escalante, the Moab canyons, and the San Rafael Swell. By protecting these areas, the government aims to help wildlife move safely between habitats and fight climate change by keeping large deserts and forests undisturbed.
  • Indigenous tribes would keep their rights to use the land for traditional ceremonies and gathering medicine. The bill recognizes that these canyons have been sacred to Native American communities for thousands of years and aims to protect ancient ruins and rock art from vandalism or theft.
  • New mining, oil drilling, and gas projects would be banned in these specific areas to prevent environmental damage. However, people who already have legal permits to graze livestock on the land would be allowed to continue their work under existing rules.
  • The government would reserve enough water to keep these wilderness areas healthy and vibrant. If the state of Utah owns small pieces of land inside these new boundaries, the federal government would offer to trade other land of equal value to keep the protected areas connected and easy to manage.
Energy EnvironmentAgriculture

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Mar 27, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Mar 27, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

1 article
SFGATE·7 months ago

House draft bill bars feds from managing half of a Utah monument

A House appropriations bill provision that would have restricted management funds for Grand Staircase-Escalante was removed in the Senate. Proponents of the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act were cited as a key force in maintaining federal management for the monument's full original boundaries.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

America's Red Rock Wilderness Act

Bill NumberHR 2467
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(65)
D: 65

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.