RV travelers planning trips to Utah’s red rock country may soon see new coal mining operations. The federal government has opened 48,000 acres of previously restricted public land for coal leasing near Utah national parks under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
Several parcels sit directly adjacent to or near national treasures including Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef national parks, as well as Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. One nearly 12,000-acre tract lies along the western side of Grand Staircase-Escalante, just south of Bryce Canyon. Another parcel sits between the Monument and the Park.
East of Capitol Reef, the Bureau of Land Management is offering about 2,000 acres for lease. Parcels near Zion include land along the North Fork of the Virgin River and public access points to the Zion Narrows, as well as roads and scenic byways like Utah Heritage Highway and Mount Carmel Scenic Byway.
Coal leasing near Utah national parks draws fire from some
Environmental and conservation groups have raised concerns about the impacts on air, water, and visitor experiences. Steve Bloch, legal director at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said, “The Trump Administration views Southern Utah’s remarkable redrock country as just another place to exploit and plunder as they promote new coal mining. Nothing could be further from the truth. America’s national parks, national monuments, and wild public lands don’t deserve this fate and we’ll work tirelessly to stop it from happening.”
Cory MacNulty, Southwest campaign director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said, “Coal mines near Zion, Bryce Canyon or Capitol Reef? It’s absurd. It was decided decades ago that these lands would be off the table. Dirty energy development has no place near our national parks, especially as iconic landscapes across the Southwest are already at risk of having hazy skies, polluted water, and a degraded visitor experience from nearby drilling and mining. This is an out-of-touch attempt to turn back the clock and force coal mining near Utah’s national parks.”
Jacqualine Grant, executive director of Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners, said, “The potential coal mining lease on the northwestern border with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a bad idea because the water that flows through this section feeds the tributaries of the Paria River, which breathes life into the landscape of Grand Staircase-Escalante. National Parks, Monuments, and private landowners will all feel the impact of these decisions.”
Interior Department takes different view
The Department of the Interior said opening the land for lease supports domestic energy production and economic growth. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said, “President Trump promised to put American energy workers first, and today we’re delivering. By reducing the royalty rate for coal, increasing coal acres available for leasing, and unlocking critical minerals from mine waste, we are strengthening our economy, protecting national security, and ensuring that communities from Montana to Alabama benefit from good-paying jobs.”
Lease sales are already underway, adding hundreds of millions of tons of coal to the nation’s supply.
For RVers, these developments could affect scenic drives, trailheads, and campsites near Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Capitol Reef. Travelers may notice changes along the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, access points to the Zion Narrows, or the remote Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef.
Sources include Utah News Dispatch and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
RELATED
- The landscape is bizarre and time acts strange at Utah’s Fantasy Canyon
- New Utah law requires license for hiking and biking in wildlife areas
- Amazing experience at Utah’s Dark Sky RV Campground
- What to see, what to do, and where to stay while RVing Canyonlands, Utah’s largest national park
- High desert RVing in beautiful Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
- Fremont Indian State Park – AMAZING Utah Camping off I-70!
RVT1230b
With most of the coal fired power plants are being decommissioned or converted to natural gas, I don’t see the need to continue mining coal.
This is just an excuse for our government leaders to do what they want, when they want and then ban renewable energy sources. And destroy the natural beauty of our country.
Spot on Bob
Glad we got to see Bryce and Grand Staircase before the Billionares were able to trash “America the Beautiful”.