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— Utah prolongs lost battle over public lands — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial

"The chances of success for the Utah politicians who want to privatize millions of acres of public land in their state continue to hover somewhere between zero and zero. But, as long as they prolong this wild goose chase, they will have no problem privatizing millions of dollars in public funds.

"One is left to wonder if that is the whole point. ..."

— Conservation groups unite to oppose takeover of land — Scott Willoughby | The Denver Post

"Among the coalition representing more than 30 sportsmen's conservation groups and outdoor industry leaders gathering at noon Wednesday to protest attempts by some Western states to take over federally managed public lands, don't expect to meet anyone from the American Lands Council.

"That's the group founded by Utah state Rep. Ken Ivory to coordinate advocacy and lobbying for federal-to-state land transfers throughout the West similar to Ivory's Transfer of Public Lands Act signed into Utah law in 2012. And despite big-money backing from the likes of billionaires Charles and David Koch, the ALC is likely to be severely outnumbered in Denver on Wednesday on the west steps of the State Capitol.

"In the past few years, efforts by a growing fringe of state lawmakers to take over national public lands have surfaced in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

"Yet, according to results from Colorado College's latest annual Conservation in the West poll, more than two-thirds of voters in six Rocky Mountain states believe federally managed lands belong to all Americans and not to a particular state. And the coalition of hunting and fishing organizations anchored by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA), Trout Unlimited (TU), National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Remington, Sitka and Simms, among others, echoes that sentiment with a remarkably unified voice. ..."

— Poll: Majority of Utahns Support Fight for Control of Public Lands — Bryan Schott | Utah Policy

"A majority of Utahns support efforts by Utah lawmakers to wrest control of public lands in the state away from the federal government.

"A new UtahPolicy.com survey finds 55% of Utahns back the fight to gain control of lands currently under the perview of the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Just 36% are opposed. ..."

— Utah's public lands aren't about to change hands — Hillary Hoffmann | For High Country News

" ... So here's $2 million worth of free advice to the State of Utah: Stop the madness. Congress has the exclusive authority to transfer public lands. The only viable path forward is to pass transfer legislation through Congress and obtain the president's signature — an approach that isn't going anywhere. Remember, the American public hasn't responded well to past attempts to seize control of their public lands. In short, it's time for the backers of this doomed land grab to admit defeat and leave America's public lands alone."

— Discussion needed on state land use — Casper Star-Tribune Editorial

" ... Some outdoor groups are concerned such a study is a prelude to an attempted land grab. They're not entirely crazy to think so. Wyoming lawmakers have shown themselves regularly in love with the Sagebrush Rebellion thinking of old that would reject federal management of federal land within state borders. Of course, such thinking hasn't resulted in much, because federal title to federal land is pretty clear and even enshrined in the Wyoming Constitution. Yet that hasn't stopped state lawmakers from being convinced the feds need to pack up and leave. ..."

— Nevada representatives propose anti-Babbitt bill — Elko (Nevada) Daily Free Press Editorial

"Nevada Sen. Dean Heller and three of our state's four congressmen have teamed up on legislation designed to prevent a federal land grab like the one that locked up nearly 2 million acres in Utah.

"The Nevada Land Sovereignty Act would prevent the executive branch from designating national monuments or expanding them without congressional approval or public support.

"That doesn't sound like too much to ask. ..."