(SALT LAKE CITY, UT) - Gubernatorial candidate and State Representative, Brian S. King released the following statement on Governor Cox's decision to terminate the Bears Ears Land Exchange.
“Governor Cox and Republican legislative leadership backing out of a deal with the Department of the Interior before the management plan for Bears Ears was even released is premature, unjustified, and counterproductive. The integrity of our public lands is under threat, demanding our utmost protection as Utahns. According to a 2022 poll by the State of the Rockies Project, 60% of Utahns think the restoration of protections for Bears Ears National Monument is a good thing. Yet, the Governor and Legislature's coordinated efforts sideline the interests of ordinary Utahns, prioritizing the exploitation of protected lands for mining while politicizing our public lands. We deserve leadership committed to the stewardship of our state. We deserve better.”
###