LATEST NEWS: Lawsuit brought to protect Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Zion and Bryce National Parks from Utah’s Kane County. County attempting to illegally open areas to off-road vehicles.
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About Kane County, Utah
Kane County, Utah -- home of the treasured Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA), and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument -- continues to defy federal authorities and put visitor safety and natural resources at risk.
In 2003, Kane County officials ripped up 31 BLM road signs that directed visitors to open roads in the Monument. Now, in 2005, the County has illegally erected nearly 300 of its own signs in the Monument, as well as dozens in nearby Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) on BLM lands. These signs indicate that ATVs are welcome, but many of the signs mark only faint trails that were legally closed by the BLM in order to protect wildlife, scenery, and cultural resources.
Later, in August 2005, the county escalated the issue by adopting an ordinance that purports to open thousands of miles of roads, dirt tracks, and wash bottoms in the National parks, Glen Canyon NRA, and the Monument to off-road vehicles.
Even after a warning of imminent legal action in April 2005, the County continued to place more signs and defend their actions in a move that directly attacks federal jurisdiction over our Western public lands. Neither the Department of the Interior nor the Department of Justice have taken public steps to resolve the issue. The problem is compounded by the fact that while the BLM is properly signing legal routes, they are not removing county signs, thus creating conflicting and potentially dangerous instructions for visitors.
The Wilderness Society and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance have decided to take action to protect the visitors, natural resources, and cultural artifacts in these national treasures by filing a lawsuit to have the signs removed immediately.
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Important Documents
Quotes from Federal and State Officials Regarding Kane County’s Posting of Illegal Road Signs
Don Banks, Utah BLM, Chief of External Affairs
“It’s disappointing. We’ve had a standing request, expressing our desire to help them with a map identifying [off-highway vehicle] trails. For them to act unilaterally seems more confrontational than collaborative.”
(Quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune, 2/16/05)
“[Kane County] is acting as if the federal planning process has no standing as to how federal lands will be managed. I sure hope that isn’t true.”
(Quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune, 3/19/05)
Sally Wisely, former Utah BLM Director
“These signs have been placed without proper authorization and most are in conflict with current management plans and direction. I am very concerned that such actions, which result in conflicting management directives, may likely present serious safety issues to members of the public, possibly subject them to legal exposure, and cause resource damage.”
“…we request that the county immediately refrain from removing BLM signs from, or placing County road signs on, public land administered by the BLM. Further, the County must immediately remove the signs that it has placed on such lands.”
“Please be aware that in the event the County fails to take these steps within two weeks of receipt of this letter, the BLM is prepared to initiate appropriate legal action against the County.”
(Letter to Kane County Commissioner, 4/26/05)
Rebecca Watson, Assistant Secretary, Interior Department
“The Department of Interior and the BLM have requested the U.S. Attorney’s Office to take affirmative legal action on both the removal of the BLM route signs and the placement of unauthorized roads signs.”
(Letter to Senator Dick Durbin, 6/13/05)
Sally Wisely, former Utah BLM Director
“We’ve certainly been talking to [the U.S. Attorney’s Office]. They’re fully aware of the letter and are supportive.”
(Quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune, 4/27/05)
Michael O. Leavitt, former Utah Governor
“I wish they hadn’t done that. I don’t think that resolving these disputes by provocation is the best way,” noting, too, that the state would not defend or financially support Kane County in the dispute.
(KSL TV, Salt Lake City, August 20, 2003)
