Trails for motorized recreation in Emery County, Utah, are not protected under the provisions of two bills pending in Congress, and the AMA has joined local, regional and other national groups in opposition.

The Emery County Public Land Management Act of 2018 (H.R. 5727 and S. 2809) seeks to revamp the management of federal lands by establishing the San Rafael Swell Western Heritage and Historic Mining National Conservation Area, designating wilderness areas in the state and providing for certain land conveyances.

AMA member Clif Koontz led the call for advocates to tell their elected officials that these bills are unsatisfactory. Utah Rep. John Curtis (R) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) sponsored the bills, which were sent Sept. 26 to the full House and Senate for consideration.

Curtis and Hatch said the OHV community participated in developing the bills.

Koontz said that no OHV groups were involved in the 2018 version of the bills.

Among the concerns:

• Sponsors changed the Swell Resource Advisory Council composition to give preservation-oriented members a majority.
• A provision specifying that the recreation area’s purpose includes motorized recreation was added Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), but it was removed in the Senate.
• Neither bill guarantees the protection of existing trails for motorized recreation.

Emery County encompasses 4,472 square miles and straddles I-70 near Moab, Utah.