Over the course of a morning’s bidding and with little regard for public opinion, more than 30,000 acres of our state’s precious public lands near Hovenweep National Monument were recently auctioned off to oil and gas developers.
The Bureau of Land Management’s latest leasing of our public lands is a staggering blow to Utah residents and tribal communities who value our shared historical and cultural connections to these places. Short-sighted gains for a few oil developers were clearly prioritized over a more balanced vision for us all.
As Utah residents, we are fortunate to have such a spectacular treasure as Hovenweep National Monument right here in our state.