AG Brown Urges Senate Committee to Prioritize Local Voices in Federal Land Decisions

Today, Attorney General Derek Brown appeared before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to provide testimony on the critical importance of local-federal partnerships in public land management.  

Attorney General Brown boldly advocated for Utah to have a meaningful role in land management. He emphasized that federalism isn’t just an abstract principle; it is a daily necessity, especially when the federal government controls 68% of our state. Decisions made in Washington, D.C. have direct and long-lasting impacts on Utah’s communities, economy, and environment.  

He highlighted the need for consistent, cooperative engagement among the state of Utah, local communities, and the federal government. He pointed to examples where federal planning processes have failed because state and local voices weren’t involved.  

For example, Attorney General Brown noted that the 2015 sage-grouse plans were developed without incorporating Utah-specific science. This led to unnecessary restrictions and years of litigation. But the most recent sage-grouse planning process was a success because the previous and current federal administrations listened to Utah’s concerns and incorporated local feedback into their plans.  

Attorney General Brown also addressed broader consequences of sidelining state voices, including delays in providing critical infrastructure, inconsistent permitting processes, and missed opportunities to leverage local experience, as happened in the development of the 2015 sage-grouse planning process. He called for meaningful reforms to federal land management statutes and permitting processes that would ensure state input is meaningfully incorporated.  

Attorney General Brown is, and has consistently been, a champion of local expertise and state leadership in public land management decisions. He reaffirmed that Utah brings deep local knowledge, on-the-ground experience, and science to the table and reminded the Committee that Utahns deserve to have their voices heard in decisions that impact our land.  

Read Attorney General Brown’s written testimony here. 

Watch the Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing here.