H.C.R. 7

1

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING OPPOSITION
2 TO THE CONGRESSIONAL ENACTMENT OF
3 THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION SYSTEM
4 2009 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Melvin R. Brown
7 Senate Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor expresses strong
12 opposition to any congressional action that unnecessarily restricts and reduces public
13 access to federal lands and expresses specific opposition to the National Landscape
14 Conservation System.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 . expresses strong opposition to any congressional action that would unnecessarily
18 restrict and reduce public access to federal lands; and
19 . expresses opposition to the National Landscape Conservation System and its
20 undefined and vague management scheme for public lands that does not provide a
21 reasoned purpose, does not advance the national interests of energy independence,
22 and does not protect multiple-use, sustained yield management of public lands.
23 Special Clauses:
24 None
25
26 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
27 WHEREAS, congressional leaders have indicated that Congress plans to consider the

28 Omnibus Public Land Management Act during the 111 Congress;
29 WHEREAS, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act contains over 150 public lands
30 bills, many of which have not been fully heard by the various committees of jurisdiction or
31 approved by both houses of Congress;
32 WHEREAS, the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) is part of the
33 Omnibus package and was created through administrative action, not congressional enactment;
34 WHEREAS, the NLCS's administrative reach extends to more than 26 million acres of
35 federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), including 15 national
36 monuments, 13 national conservation areas, 177 wilderness areas, 608 wilderness study areas,
37 2,052 miles of wild and scenic rivers, and over 5,350 miles of national scenic and historic
38 trails;
39 WHEREAS, the vast majority of these lands are located in 12 western states, including
40 Utah;
41 WHEREAS, the NLCS imposes a whole new management protocol for managing these
42 lands based on the vague and nebulous concept of "values";
43 WHEREAS, the management scheme for these lands will now become even more
44 subjective by injecting into management plans undefined terms such as "viewsheds,"
45 "soundscapes," and even "smellscapes";
46 WHEREAS, multiple-use management of these public lands will be compromised by
47 this new management priority, thus jeopardizing current and vital land uses, including
48 recreation, grazing, mining, and oil and gas production, and other industries vital to Utah's
49 economic viability;
50 WHEREAS, this vague and undefined management tool is currently available to be
51 employed to shut down millions of public land acres and invalidate legal and legitimate oil and
52 gas leases for exploration and subsequent production at a time when domestic energy
53 development is vital, even critical, to national security;
54 WHEREAS, the BLM recently deferred or withdrew hundreds of thousands of acres
55 considered to have oil, gas, and geothermal potential in the state of Utah; and
56 WHEREAS, this action denies the citizens of the state and the nation the economic
57 benefits from resource development at a time when revenues to local, state, and federal
58 governments are shrinking, unemployment is increasing, and energy resources and costs are a

59 major concern for American families:
60 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
61 Governor concurring therein, expresses strong opposition to any congressional action that
62 would unnecessarily restrict and reduce public access to federal lands.
63 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor oppose codifying,
64 through congressional action, the National Landscape Conservation System that would create
65 an undefined and vague management scheme for public lands and that does not provide a
66 reasoned purpose, does not advance the national interests of energy independence, and does not
67 protect multiple-use, sustained yield management of public lands.
68 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Majority
69 Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,
70 the Federal Bureau of Land Management and its Utah office, and to the members of Utah's
71 congressional delegation.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-12-09 3:06 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel