Bills seek land conservation in Utah

A pair of bills—H.R. 5727 in the House of Representatives and S. 2809 in the Senate—seek to create or expand a number of conservation areas, wilderness areas, and national parks or sites in Utah. The bills were introduced on May 9 by Rep. John Curtis (R-UT-03) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) respectively. Among other things, the bills would create the Jurassic National Monument in the San Rafael Swell, which is rich in fossil finds from the Jurassic period. In total, the bill would impact over 1 million acres in Utah’s Emery County. — WLJ