WASHINGTON – Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-01) and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (UT-03) have formally introduced the Utah Public Lands Initiative (PLI) legislation for consideration by the US House of Representatives. Included in the bill is a revamped 1.4 million acre plan for the Bears Ears region. A partner bill was also introduced to complement the Utah Public Lands Initiative by ensuring land use certainty in seven Utah counties. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) will sponsor the companion legislation in the Senate. Af...
Read more
Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) sent a JOINT LETTER to Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. The letter outlines the delegation’s legislative strategy and next steps for the Utah Public Lands Initiative (PLI). The steps include meetings, hearings and formal introduction of the bill before the House of Representatives goes into the July/August District Work Period. In closing the letter, the Utah delegation members...
Read more
SALT LAKE CITY – In a press conference held in the Gold Room of the Utah State Capitol, Reps. Rob Bishop (UT-01) and Jason Chaffetz (UT-03) released a discussion draft of the Utah Public Lands Initiative Act. Utah Governor Gary Herbert participated in the January 20th event. Reps. Bishop and Chaffetz also announced the website UtahPLI.com where the public and media may access the PLI discussion draft, maps, and a section-by-section description of the potential legislation. Senator Mike Lee will ...
Read more
In light of the announcement of a proposal by The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, members of Utah’s federal delegation are reiterating their commitment to collaboration as public lands legislation is being crafted. Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee and Representatives Rob Bishop (UT-01) and Jason Chaffetz (UT-03) issued the following joint statement: "The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition is an important stakeholder in the Public Lands Initiative. The Coalition represents many Native American...
Read more
The US Fish and Wildlife service announced that the Greater Sage Grouse does not warrant specific protection under the Endangered Species Act for only the next 5 years. Representative Rob Bishop offers the following statement: “This announcement changes nothing. It was an act of fundamental dishonesty. The Sage Grouse problem is no better solved today than it was yesterday before this announcement. Despite the Administration’s decision, as long as the BLM is able to impose its will on the state ...
Read more
WASHINGTON – Today, Utah Congressmen Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz responded to President Obama’s impending use of the Antiquities Act in Lincoln County and Nye County Nevada to create the 700,000-acre Basin and Range National Monument. In making this announcement, the President will unilaterally wipe away a locally developed land plan without any public involvement or regard for the legislative process. Rep. Bishop: “Following the example of Jimmy Carter, the Obama Administration is using and a...
Read more
WASHINGTON— Today, Chairman Rob Bishop (UT-01) responded to the Obama Administration’s announcement of federal land use plans for the Greater Sage Grouse. “This is just flat out wrong. If the Administration really cares about the bird they will adopt the state plans as they originally said they would. The state plans work. This proposal is only about controlling land, not saving the bird. “Our Committee has held hearings on how the federal agencies are not working with the states. When I became ...
Read more
WASHINGTON— Rep. Rob Bishop, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, held an oversight hearing titled, "Empowering State Management of Greater Sage Grouse.” Chairman Bishop said the following during his opening remarks: “Given the chance, states could prevent the need for a federal listing, and prevent endless fights to de-list species that recover. States have already proven to be laboratories where innovative policy-makers can experiment to develop more effective policies. The pr...
Read more
Salt Lake City—Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-01), Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert, and Daggett County Commissioners today joined representatives from the conservation, outdoor recreation, and sportsmens’ community, to unveil the draft Daggett County lands proposal agreement as part of the broader Utah Public Lands Initiative. Speakers at the event also included Scott Groene- Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, John Andrews- School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, Paul Spitler-The Wilderne...
Read more
WASHINGTON— Today, President Barack Obama signed the Hill Creek Cultural Preservation and Energy Development Act [H.R. 356/ S. 27] into law. This legislation was authored by Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-01) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). The bill specifically facilitates the exchange of approximately 20,000 acres of state-held mineral rights within the Hill Creek Extension of the Ute Indian Reservation for mineral rights on approximately 20,000 acres of land located within the northern portion of...
Read more
