Has anyone else heard much about this?

https://wyofile.com/wyoming-backs-utahs-quest-to-seize-blm-land-may-want-other-fed-property/

MeatEater has a recent podcast episode and, for as serious as this sounds for the loss of public lands, I’m surprised I’m not hearing anything about it.

By all accounts if the politicians in Utah were to successfully transfer the BLM lands into state ownership it would set the precedent for transfer of all Federal land in the country. The most likely outcome is that the land would be sold off to private ownership and every U.S. citizen would lose access to hundreds of millions of acres, let alone the ecosystem services these lands provide.

That is a little scary. I like to see things managed at a state level, but states do have a habit of getting money hungry and selling off land to the highest bidder

Ultimately this would make a bunch of investors and developers very rich.
Utah population is growing leaps and bounds.
Sad day if it happens.

I've talked to the forest service and the Blm and they say land swaps are only allowed if it benefits the public ...

Unless maybe $$$$$$$$ back door deal

Who decides if it benefits the public?????
We know who owns the State of Utah and they are already scary rich. Richer than most could comprehend. What about the people who already own the grazing rights or mineral rights to federal land?

Money talks

What's it called when the government owns the means of production?

Or giving it to the Natives like they are doing here.

....also lots of state ground in idaho is posted no tresspass

I haven’t seen any state land posted in Idaho. Where do you see this? A lot of State land here is intermixed with BLM land.

Lots of Federal land is one of the things that makes Utah great for outdoorsmen. Always a place to hunt, trap, fish or just get away. The circle I run with is totally against it. I'm sure developers are licking their chops.

The argument is that these BLM lands are “unappropriated”, which in this context I think means that they aren’t serving some specific purpose, like Forest Service or Park Service. What’s insane is that these guys are arguing that the Feds are holding up these lands and preventing people from utilizing them, whereas BLM land is essentially the least restrictive of all public grounds. You can drive ANYWHERE you want for Pete sake.

Again, I’ve got a vague understanding of the legal side of it, but I’ve got a full understanding that this is simply a massive land grab. I’m hoping Teddy Roosevelt rises from the dead to prevent this from going through.

Is there a lot of buzz about this in Utah? And does it seem likely they’re going to pull this off?

Want land to stay under Federal control? Be careful what you wish for!

In Alaska, the feds have gotten into the habit of disregarding the state's management prerogative and simply closing off great expanses of "public" land to hunting. In my opinion and experience, we are much better as hunters and trappers, with state land ownership and wildlife management.

Pete

Western states are shutting down hunting now. First it was trapping on "public" land. I dont think it matters whether its sold off or not. Forest service has closed tons of roads. Grazing rights are cut every year. Not even legal to pick up dead limbs off the ground, remove them from the forest for firewood. The urbanization of our country is spelling the end of our way of life. Our descendants are not going to hunt trap fish camp and wander around the way we have.

I believe the founders believed in turning Federal real estate into productive private property.

Too much

It's a tough call, because land has become so expensive that most people can't own much of it. Public land is good for the future of hunting because a lot of people have no where else to hunt and this is especially true for youngsters who want to hunt but don't grow up in a family that has land to hunt. Public land is good for the future of hunting and trapping. However, with the stroke of a pen, the Federal government could end all hunting and fishing on federal land by catering to the antis. Would that be more likely if it was in state hands? Well, it depends on the state.

There is no easy answer to this issue.

X2

When USFW bring wolves to your State whose land do they release them on?