Public Lands

Lands, Legacy, and Livelihood: How Utah’s Trust Lands Benefit Communities

Written by: Staff

The federal government granted Trust Lands to Utah at statehood to support specific beneficiaries. This Utah Foundation report finds they also support many households, local governments, and the state. Lands, Legacy, and Livelihood: How Utah’s Trust Lands Benefit Communities includes several economic impact analyses to quantify the benefits of these lands. The Trust Lands Administration commissioned the Utah Foundation to conduct case studies on oil & gas, coal, residential real estate, commercial real estate, and innovative … Continued

Healthy Communities: Enhancing Open Space

Written by: John Salevurakis

Utah’s natural resource endowments and its past cultivation of urban and suburban open spaces will likely continue to spur population growth in the future. As a result, additional stress will be placed upon existing endowments. Doing nothing in the coming years threatens to decrease the quality of life that Utahns – both newcomers and long-timers alike – have come to expect and value. This report provides an understanding of why open space is important, looks … Continued

Utah Rising – Initiatives for a Broad & Rapid Economic Revival

Written by: Staff

At the onset of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and resultant economic downturn, the Utah Foundation worked with the Finance Committee of the Utah Economic Response Task Force to brainstorm and develop ideas with the potential to aid the economic rebound of the state. This menu of ideas includes some ideas that are well-developed and others in preliminary stages. Some are short-term approaches while others look further onto the horizon. While many of the ideas require … Continued

Utah Priorities 2016, Issue #10: Environment

Written by: Christopher Collard

The topic environmental issues, including air quality has made the Utah Priorities Project top ten list every gubernatorial election over the past decade, although it has never risen above seventh place. In 2016, air quality and the environment were separated into two topics based on preliminary survey results.   STRICTER ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS A majority (53%) of Utahns are quite concerned about the environment, rating their level of concern as a four or a fie on a fie-point scale.1 This … Continued

Sagebrush Rebellion Part II: Analysis of the Public Lands Debate in Utah

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The federal government owns around 635 million acres, or 28% of the land comprising the United States. Within Utah, nearly 67% of the state’s total acreage, or 35 million acres, is owned by the federal government. Throughout the nation’s history, groups have debated who should control this land and how it should be managed. In 2012, the Utah State Legislature passed the Transfer of Public Lands Act (TPLA), which demands the United States transfer an … Continued