Plan to Blast Utah Canyon Near Native American Rock Art Sparks Lawsuit

A group of conservationists announced that it is filing a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration over its plans to build a highway through a canyon in Utah. Here is a look at the lawsuit and why so many people are upset.

Conservationists Target Trump Administration with Lawsuit Over Plans to Build Utah Highway

Plans to build a highway through a canyon in eastern Utah are raising the ire of conservationist groups concerned that the construction will displace wildlife and impact a multitude of cultural and historical references. A lawsuit filed on October 6 in the U.S. District Court of Central Utah against the Trump administration challenges the decision to permit Duchesne County to "blow up and destroy cliff walls and rock formations" that dot the landscape of Gate Canyon.

The project is designed to widen and pave Gate Canyon Road. Located about 100 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, Gate Canyon feeds into scenic Nine Mile Canyon. This part of the Beehive State is often referred to as "the world's longest art gallery."

The valley stretches for 46 miles, providing a plethora of recreational opportunities to outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors flock to the area to hike, bike, and take in the natural beauty. The region is also home to a myriad of native wildlife, ranging from elk, black bears, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, deer, foxes, eagles, hawks, and more.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notes that the valley also includes natural rock art and ancient inscriptions that detail the rich history of this canyon and its past inhabitants. The lawsuit argues that there are 47 historic sites located near the current Gate Canyon Road that would be torn up should the construction proceed as planned. Several of these sites are eligible for consideration for the National Register of Historic Places because of their importance to American history and culture.

Details of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit claims that the BLM rushed through its decision to approve the project to blast and pave portions of Gate Canyon. The plaintiffs also claim that BLM "hid that process from the public." The lawsuit goes on to claim that the agency approved the decision without fully analyzing the potential impacts of the road construction and traffic on “a broad range of resource values including cultural, historic, scenic, and wildlife.”

The Nine Mile Canyon Coalition, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and the Center for Biological Diversity filed the complaint jointly to argue that the federal government is violating several environmental policies by moving forward with the plan to alter the landscape. The lawsuit names BLM, the agency's assistant field manager for the Vernal, Utah office, and the U.S. Department of the Interior as defendants.

A press release from the Nine Mile Coalition stated that “In the words of Joni Mitchell, the BLM has approved the ‘paving of paradise.’ But instead of putting in a parking lot, the BLM has given its OK to the building of a highway to carry crude oil from Unita Basin to Carbon County." The statement also noted that “It’s like constructing a highway through the Louvre Museum.”

The coalition asserts that this is the third time that Duchesne County has tried to “destroy” Gate Canyon, with previous efforts coming in 2015 and 2022. These attempts were eventually cancelled after the public and various environmental groups fought back.

Landon Newell, staff attorney with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said that “The BLM knew that prior versions of this same proposal were extremely controversial and faced fierce public headwinds. This time around, instead of facing the public, they hid their decision and rushed their analysis and approval, all under the guise of Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’ agenda.”

The federal agencies have been largely quiet on the issue due to the pending litigation.

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