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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The by the U.S. Supreme Court that it will not hear the case brought by Utah to dispose of federal public lands within its borders is good news for wildlife, our lands and waters, and all who depend on these lands for their way of life. The State of Utah claimed it was unconstitutional for the federal government to own public lands within states, except for military bases. Despite the court’s decision, some states are expected to continue to try to dispose of federal public lands — efforts that the National Wildlife Federation and its affiliates will oppose in order to keep public lands in public hands.

“Public lands provide us with so much: habitat for wildlife, clean drinking water, an economic engine for rural communities, unlimited opportunities for recreation, and much more. These lands belong to all of us, and Utah’s lawsuit is an attempt to gain lands that they could sell off to the highest bidder,” said David Willms, associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation. “The Supreme Court’s decision is the right one. All elected leaders should end this nonsense and refuse to continue going against the Constitution and public sentiment — and wasting taxpayer dollars.”

“The Utah Wildlife Federation is pleased the U.S. Supreme Court will not hear this case, but state officials recognized it was a long shot, and it is highly likely they will attempt to pursue this course through other avenues," said Brett Prettyman, board chair of the . "We will continue to work to educate the people of Utah about the importance of public lands for healthy wildlife populations and the opportunity for our residents to enjoy OUR wildlife.”

"The Utah lawsuit is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to steal public lands. We're happy the Supreme Court saw it for what it was and stood to protect the lands that belong to all 皇冠体育app官网平台ns,” said Scott Garlid, executive director of the . “As the Supreme Court ruled, it's wrong as a matter of law. But it also flies in the face of public opinion, as 皇冠体育app官网平台ns overwhelmingly support federal management of our public lands."

"Public lands are the foundation of Idaho's outdoor heritage and recreation economy. Billions of dollars in economic output, thousands of jobs, and an untold number of family traditions are based upon these irreplaceable resources. This lawsuit was a reckless gamble that could have upended our way of life,” said Nick Fasciano, executive director of the . “It's now up to us to continue mobilizing support for our public lands to ensure we can beat back any further attempts to remove them from public ownership."

“Utah’s lawsuit is simply an attempt to acquire lands to sell off to the highest bidder. Montanans love these lands critical for wildlife, hunters, anglers, ranchers, and rural communities,” said Frank Szollosi, executive director of the . “Alarmingly, politicians in over a dozen states officially signed on to this heist. We appreciate Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and Attorney General Austin Knudsen for recognizing that these arguments have no legal merit. We urge them to sustain resistance to wholesale federal public land transfers.”

"The New Mexico Wildlife Federation is pleased with the decision of the court to reject Utah's attack on our public lands. However, we're also aware that the political forces in Utah and elsewhere that are behind this scheme aren't going to give up. We need to beat back this mistaken effort whenever it comes back,” said Ben Neary, conservation director of the . "Our nation's greatest conservationists, including Teddy Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold, dedicated themselves to handing down the incredible wealth of our public lands and wildlife to succeeding generations. All 皇冠体育app官网平台ns are beneficiaries of their vision and commitment. Each of us is responsible to fight anyone seeking to break that chain."