St. George, UT — June 2, 2025: The Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA), BlueRibbon Coalition, and Desert Roads and Trails Society
announced today that they are jointly filing a protest on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Record of Decision (ROD) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Red Cliffs Warner Valley Land Exchange, DOI-BLM-UT-C030-2023-0008-EA.
This project, which includes a new reservoir and water infrastructure to meet Washington County’s growing needs, was initially reviewed by the groups, who decided not to oppose it outright. Instead, they focused on negotiating key protections for recreation and public access, prioritizing:
- Preserving open OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) access on top of the ridge
- Preventing residential development on the east side of the West Rim Ridge
- Maintaining OHV access from the Washington Dam staging area floor
- Supporting the development of an improved staging area at Washington Dam with restrooms
- Developing alternatives for dispersed camping displacement when the reservoir is built
After thoroughly reviewing the final BLM documents, the coalition determined that only one clarification remains: they are formally requesting the BLM confirm in the Decision Record that the entire West Rim area, above Pipeline Road, remains open OHV access.
“We believe this clarification is critical to align the BLM Record of Decision with the Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD) Resolution,” said Loren Campbell, President of UPLA. “The WCWCD has already committed to maintaining these areas as open OHV, and we expect the BLM to reflect that in their final decision.”
Key supporting documents are available on the UPLA website for public review:
- Complete WCWCD Resolution and Attachments: https://utahpla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Complete-WCWCD-Resolution-and-Attachments.pdf
- EA Recreation Section (Pages 56–58): https://utahpla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EA-Pages-on-Recreation-Section-3.5.3-Pages-56-58.pdf
- EA ROW Easement Section (Pages 68–71): https://utahpla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EA-Pages-on-ROW-Easement-Pages-68-71.pdf
- Decision Record Pages 3–4: https://utahpla.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Decision-Record-Pages-3-4.pdf
The full BLM documents can be found at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022389/510
UPLA invites all recreation enthusiasts, land use advocates, and concerned citizens to review these materials and share any additional concerns by emailing President@utahpla.com.
