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Federal land policy in Utah

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Federal land policy involves the ownership and management of land owned by the federal government. As of 2012, the federal government owned between 635 million to 640 million acres, or 28 percent, of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Federal land is managed for many purposes, such as the conservation and development of natural resources, grazing and recreation. As of 2012, the federal government owned 66.48 percent of Utah's total land, 35,033,603 acres out of 52,696,960 total acres.

Utah ranked fourth in the nation in federal land ownership as of 2012.

Land ownership

See also: Federal land policy and Federal land ownership by state

The federal government owned between 635 million and 640 million acres of land in 2012 (about 28 percent) of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Around 52 percent of federally owned acres were in 12 Western states—including Alaska, 61 percent of which was federally owned. In contrast, the federal government owned 4 percent of land in the other 38 states. Federal land policy is designed to manage minerals, oil and gas resources, timber, wildlife and fish, and other natural resources found on federal land. Land management policies are highly debated for their economic, environmental and social impacts. Additionally, the size of the federal estate and the acquisition of more federal land are major issues.[1][2]

According to the Congressional Research Service, Utah spans 52.6 million acres. Of that total, 66.5 percent, or 35.03 million acres, belonged to the federal government as of 2012. More than 17 million acres in Utah are not owned by the federal government, or 6.09 non-federal acres per capita. From 1990 to 2010, the federal government's land ownership in Utah increased by 1.45 million acres.[1]

The table below shows federal land ownership in Utah compared to its neighbor, Nevada, and a northeastern state, Maine, as a comparison.

Federal land ownership in Utah and other states by agency
State
Agency Utah Nevada Maine
Acres owned Percentage owned Acres owned Percentage owned Acres owned Percentage owned
U.S. Forest Service 8,207,415 23.43% 5,764,262 10.12% 53,709 25.61%
U.S. National Park Service 2,097,106 5.99% 774,751 1.36% 66,898 31.90%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 107,855 0.31% 2,335,400 4.10% 65,987 31.46%
U.S. Bureau of Land Management 22,854,937 65.24% 47,805,923 83.93% 0 0.00%
U.S. Department of Defense 1,766,260 5.04% 281,442 0.49% 23,141 11.03%
Total federal land 35,033,603 100% 56,961,778 100% 209,735 100%
Source: Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data"

Land usage

Recreation

National parks in Utah

Utah has five National Park Service units, seven national monuments, seven national forests, 33 wilderness areas, one national recreation area, one national historic site, four national historic trails, two national conservation areas and 18 national recreation trails. Utah has 43 state parks managed by the Utah State Parks, a division of the Department of Natural Resources. A study by the U.S. National Park Service found that 8.9 million visitors attended Utah's national parks and monuments and generated $596.5 million in visitor spending in 2013.[3][4][5]

The chart below lists Utah's five national parks. The parks below are some of the more famous national parks in the United States. Visitor spending, jobs and income data in the table below were collected by Headwaters Economics, an "independent, nonprofit research group."[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Federal lands in Utah
Name Image Acreage Established Visitation (2013)[6] Visitor spending (2013)[6] Jobs (2013)[6] Income (2013)[6]
Arches National Park[17] Arches National Park.jpg 76,359[18] November 12, 1971[19] 3,188,030 $381,763,000 5,300 $156,657,000
Bryce Canyon National Park[17] Bryce Canyon National Park.jpg 35,835[20] September 15, 1928[21] 1,311,875 $105,746,000 1,442 $39,073,000
Canyonlands National Park[17] Canyonlands National Park.jpg 337,598[22] September 12, 1964[23] 462,242 $26,316,000 350 $9,392,000
Capitol Reef National Park[17] Capitol Reef National Park.jpg 241,904[24] December 18, 1971[25] 663,670 $45,086,00 555 $15,178,000
Zion National Park Zion National Monument.jpg 148,733[26] November 19, 1919[27] 2,807,387 $147,052,000 1,763 $73,084,000

State recreation lands

The table below lists Utah's state parks along with 2013 visitor data.[28]

Economic impact of state lands

The Utah State Parks division released its data on the economic impact of Utah's state parks. The division highlighted the economic activity and tax revenue generated by state and local park tourism, such as the following:[29]

“
  • Generating $9.85 in local economic impact for every $1 of general fund appropriation
  • Generating $67 million in state economic benefit through day-use, camping and golf
  • Paying $11.2 million to individual counties in 2010 property tax for off-highway vehicles and boats
  • Collecting and paying more than $1 million in state and local taxes to counties and communities[30]
 ”
—Utah State Parks Division[29]

Impact of sagebrush recreation

According to a 2013 study published by the Western Values Project and Pew Charitable Trusts, there were 5.3 million visitors to BLM-controlled sagebrush lands in Utah in 2013, which generated around $39.2 million in economic activity at local communities within 50 miles of recreation sites on sagebrush lands. A total of $59.6 million in economic activity was generated in 2013 from recreation on Utah sagebrush lands. The study defined recreation spending as "expenditures on food, fuel, and other goods and services" within 50 miles of recreation sites. The study did not include the administrative costs of managing sagebrush land.[31][32]

Economic activity on federal lands

Oil and gas activity

See also: BLM oil and gas leases by state

Private mining companies, including oil and natural gas companies, can apply for leases from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to explore and produce energy on federal land. The company seeking a lease must nominate the land for oil and gas exploration to the BLM, which evaluates and approves the lease. The BLM State Offices make leasing decisions based on its land use plans, which contain information on the land's resources and the potential environmental impact of oil or gas exploration. If federal lands are approved for leasing, the BLM requires an application from the company containing information on how the exploration, drilling and production will be conducted. Afterward, the BLM will produce an environmental analysis and a list of requirements before work on the land can begin. The agency also inspects the companies' drilling and producing on the leased lands.[33]

In 2013, there were 47,427 active oil and gas leases covering 36.09 million acres of land. Of that total, 3,574 leases (7.5 percent of all leases), covering 3.821 million acres (10.5 percent of all leased land in 2013), were in Utah. In 2013, out of 3,770 new drilling leases approved nationwide by the BLM for oil and gas exploration, 965 leases (25.59 percent) were in Utah.[34][35][36][37][38]

The table below shows how Utah compared to neighboring states in oil and gas permits on BLM-managed lands in 2013. Utah had more active leases than Arizona and Nevada but fewer than Colorado.

Oil and gas leasing on BLM lands by state
State Active permits on BLM lands (FY 2013) Total acres under lease (FY 2013) State percentage of total permits State percentage of total acres
Utah 3,574 3,821,792 7.54% 10.59%
Arizona 27 39,562 0.06% 0.11%
Colorado 4,963 3,915,506 10.46% 10.85%
Nevada 1,881 3,732,390 3.97% 10.34%
Total United States 47,427 permits 36,092,482 acres - -
Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Statistics"

Grazing permits

See also: Grazing permits on federal land
Sheep grazing on BLM lands in Worland, Wyoming in 1940

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages livestock grazing on 155 million acres of its public lands. Nationally, the BLM oversees about 18,000 permits and leases that allow ranchers to graze their livestock, mostly sheep and cows, on BLM-managed lands. The permits and leases overseen by the BLM are valid for 10 years and the fees are based on the number of animals the rancher has on the land. To track these animals the BLM created what are called Animal Unit Months (AUMs), or "the amount of forage needed to sustain one cow, five sheep, or five goats for a month." Since 1954, grazing on public lands has declined, from 18.2 million AUMs to 7.9 million AUMs in 2013. Holding a grazing permit requires the applicant to own or control the property used for grazing. The applicant may also offer other privately owned property used for grazing by submitting a separate application. The terms and conditions in a grazing permit control how livestock must be used on BLM lands.[39][40][41]

The table compares the grazing permits in the 10 states where permits are issued.[42][43][44][45][46][47][48]

Grazing on BLM lands (March 2011)
State BLM land (acres) Grazing allotments Grazing permits Animal unit months (AUMs) of livestock use
Utah 22,854,937 1,410 1,462 1,300,000
Arizona 12,203,495 824 759 659,990
Alaska 72,958,757 15 N/A N/A
California 15,306,243 699 572 525,000
Colorado 8,332,001 2,500 1,500 N/A
Idaho 11,610,111 N/A 199 832,000
Nevada 47,805,923 745 635 1,100,000
Oregon 16,134,191 N/A 753 960,288
South Dakota 274,437 504 N/A 73,800
Washington 429,156 N/A 266 (leases) 32,976
Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Fact Sheet on the BLM's Management of Livestock Grazing"

Payments in lieu of taxes

See also: Payments in lieu of taxes

Since local governments cannot collect taxes on federally owned property, the U.S. Department of the Interior issues payments to local governments to replace lost property tax revenue from federal land. The payments, known as "Payments in Lieu of Taxes" (PILTs), are typically used for funding services such as fire departments, police protection, school construction and roads.[49]

The table below shows PILTs for Utah compared to neighboring states between 2011 and 2013. Utah received more PILTs than neighboring states in 2013.

Total PILTs for Utah and neighboring states
State FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 State's percentage of 2013 total
Utah $34,659,277 $36,038,626 $35,391,052 8.81%
Arizona $31,546,890 $32,886,575 $32,203,852 8.02%
Colorado $27,022,334 $27,724,576 $31,986,266 7.96%
Nevada $22,942,298 $23,917,845 $23,331,913 5.81%
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, "PILT"

State trust lands

State trust lands are highlighted in blue

The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration raises revenue from Utah trust lands to fund endowments for state educational institutions. The largest beneficiary is the Utah public school system, with 96 percent of all trust lands held for its benefit. The administration raises the revenue from oil, mineral and gas leases, as well as rents and royalties. Revenue also comes from real estate development and sales, leases, and easements. The Utah State Treasurer invests individual trust funds from the trust lands administration and distributes the income to the program's beneficiaries.[50][50]

Other beneficiaries of the program include the following:[50]

  • Public buildings
  • Miners Hospital at the University of Utah
  • Reservoirs
  • School of Mines
  • Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
  • State Hospital
  • University of Utah
  • Utah State University
  • Juvenile Justice Services

Environmental policy in the 50 states

Click on a state below to read more about that state's energy policy.

http://ballotpedia.org/Environmental_policy_in_STATE

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data," accessed September 15, 2014
  2. ↑ U.S. Congressional Research Service, "Federal Lands and Natural Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 113th Congress," December 8, 2014
  3. ↑ Utah State Parks, "Utah State Parks Home," accessed October 7, 2014
  4. ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "Utah Parks," accessed October 10, 2014
  5. ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "2013 National Park Visitor Spending Effects Report," accessed October 14, 2014
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Headwaters Economics, "National Park's Economic Impacts," accessed October 14, 2014
  7. ↑ Headwaters Economics, "About us," accessed October 14, 2014
  8. ↑ National Park Service "Utah," September 25, 2014
  9. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "In The Spotlight," October 3, 2014
  10. ↑ National Park Service "Utah," September 25, 2014
  11. ↑ National Park Service "Utah," September 25, 2014
  12. ↑ National Park Service "Utah," September 25, 2014
  13. ↑ Utah Travel Center, "Utah," accessed October 14, 2014
  14. ↑ Wilderness.net, "List Wilderness Areas by Location", accessed October 14, 2014
  15. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "National Conservation Areas," April 3, 2013
  16. ↑ National Recreation Trails, "National Recreation Trails Database," accessed October 3, 2014
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 National Park Service "Utah," September 25, 2014
  18. ↑ National Geographic, "Arches National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  19. ↑ National Geographic, "Arches National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  20. ↑ National Geographic, "Bryce Canyon National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  21. ↑ National Geographic, "Bryce Canyon National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  22. ↑ National Geographic, "Canyonlands National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  23. ↑ National Geographic, "Canyonlands National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  24. ↑ National Geographic, "Capitol Reef National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  25. ↑ National Geographic, "Capitol Reef National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  26. ↑ National Geographic, "Zion National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  27. ↑ National Geographic, "Zion National Park," accessed October 14, 2014
  28. ↑ Utah State Parks, "Division of Parks and Recreation 2013 Visitation Data," accessed October 1, 2014
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Utah State Parks, "Economic benefits of state parks," accessed October 13, 2014
  30. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  31. ↑ Pew Charitable Trusts, "Recreation Spending & BLM Sagebrush Lands," September 30, 2014
  32. ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Study: Sagebrush lands generate windfall for Utah’s economy," October 6, 2014
  33. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Lease Sales," accessed October 20, 2014
  34. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Number of Acres Leased During the Fiscal Year," accessed October 20, 2014
  35. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Total Number of Leases in Effect," accessed October 20, 2014
  36. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Summary of Onshore Oil and Gas Statistics," accessed October 20, 2014
  37. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Number of Drilling Permits Approved by Fiscal Year on Federal Lands," accessed October 20, 2014
  38. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Total Number of Acres Under Lease As of the Last Day of the Fiscal Year," accessed October 22, 2014
  39. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing Permits," accessed October 6, 2014
  40. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Rangeland Program Glossary," March 4, 2011
  41. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Fact Sheet on the BLM’s Management of Livestock Grazing," March 28, 2014
  42. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  43. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  44. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  45. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  46. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  47. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  48. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Grazing and Rangeland Management," December 14, 2012
  49. ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "PILT," accessed October 4, 2014
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 Utah Trust Lands Administration, "Our Agency," accessed September 9, 2014
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