SALT LAKE CITY — Constitutional concerns failed to derail a bill in the Utah House on Monday that would give counties the power to seize federal lands for development.
Many Republican lawmakers instead seemed willing and even excited to challenge federal control of public lands within the state.
“We will not have political equality until we control the lands within our boundaries,” said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, one of the most vocal advocates for the state’s sovereignty. “We’ve pilfered away our rights like a slab of bologna, one slice at a time. I am not going to put up with it anymore.”
House Bill 511, which passed the House 57-14 on Monday and now moves to the Senate, would give the counties eminent domain power over federal lands. The state was given that authority in 2010 by the Legislature, but has not used it.More
States rights are more important than Federal Government rights. The Federal government has been grabbing Western land like mad, especially Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. BRAVO to Utah for pre-empting the Federal government complete takeover. Too bad Maryland is such a commie liberal state.
ReplyDeleteNice, way to go Utah!
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